Tornado Cash Developer Roman Storm Guilty on One Count in Federal Crypto Case

The U.S. federal jury has found Roman Storm, a developer of the Tornado Cash crypto mixer, guilty of operating an unlicensed cryptocurrency business. However, he was cleared of sanctions violations, and the jury deadlocked on a money laundering charge. Tornado Cash is a decentralized protocol that allows users to anonymize their cryptocurrency transactions, which has drawn scrutiny from U.S. authorities. Storm was accused of violating sanctions by allowing individuals to use Tornado Cash to hide transactions, including those potentially linked to North Korean hackers. While the jury found Storm guilty of operating an unlicensed crypto business, the deadlock on the money laundering charge and the acquittal on sanctions violations suggest a complex legal landscape surrounding the use of privacy-enhancing technologies in the cryptocurrency space. The case highlights the ongoing debate over the balance between individual privacy and financial regulations in the rapidly evolving world of digital assets.