- Roman Storm, co-founder of Tornado Cash, is seeking an additional $2 million for his legal defense ahead of a July 14 trial in Manhattan.
- Storm is facing up to 45 years in prison on charges of money laundering, sanctions evasion, and operating an unlicensed money transmitter.
- The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled that the sanctioning of Tornado Cash by the U.S. Treasury’s OFAC was an overreach and ordered the removal of the sanctions on over 100 crypto wallets.
- Discrepancies have appeared in reported donation amounts, with one campaign page showing $256 collected, while a recent social media post reported $7,290.
- Storm previously raised $2 million but cites rising legal costs due to trial extensions and ongoing court proceedings.
Roman Storm, the founder of crypto mixing service Tornado Cash, is publicly requesting donations to support his legal defense as he prepares for a criminal trial scheduled for July 14 in Manhattan. He faces charges from U.S. federal authorities that could lead to up to 45 years in prison, including conspiracy to launder money, conspiracy to evade sanctions, and conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitter.
According to Storm, who is asking for an additional $2 million, his prior resources have been depleted by government seizures and legal costs over the last two years. A graphic on his campaign page shows as little as $256 collected toward his target, though a post on social media hours earlier reported the tally at $7,290. It is unclear why there is a $7,034 difference between these amounts.
The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Tornado Cash in August 2022. Officials claimed the platform enabled North Korean-linked entities to launder money anonymously through cryptocurrency mixing—a process that blends transactions to increase privacy and mask origins. In November 2024, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals determined that OFAC had exceeded its authority, leading to Tornado Cash and over 100 related crypto wallets being removed from U.S. sanctions.
Despite the reversal of these sanctions, the criminal case against Roman Storm continues. Reports show confusion among contributors regarding the evolving donation numbers on Storm’s campaign platform, with several crypto community members discussing and archiving these discrepancies for record keeping.
Storm had previously managed to raise $2 million in donations by January 2025, according to public fundraising records. However, the continuation and extension of his legal proceedings have resulted in mounting legal expenses, which he says prompted the new fundraising effort.
Some observers have expressed confusion over changes in reported donation totals and have flagged the events for documentation on social media. Storm maintains that increased legal complications are driving up attorney fees as he awaits his July jury trial.
For more details, refer to the original statements and donation appeal at Storm’s campaign website. Further information on the OFAC court decision is available via the IRS announcement.
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