Tornado Cash developer Alexey Pertsev, embroiled in a legal struggle, is urgently seeking additional funds to continue his fight for privacy rights and the freedom to publish code. Arrested two years ago, Pertsev is now facing a well-funded government prosecution, and his financial resources have been depleted.
According to his support team, Pertsev needs between $750,000 and $1 million to cover ongoing legal expenses. The crypto community has shown strong support, particularly through JusticeDAO, an advocacy group created to fund legal defenses for Pertsev and his co-developer, Roman Storm. By mid-June, JusticeDAO had raised over 654 Ether, approximately $2.3 million at the time, via a fundraiser on the decentralized platform Juicebox. Despite these efforts, the financial burden remains overwhelming.
Pertsev’s legal battle has been fraught with challenges. After being denied bail, he was convicted of money laundering by the ‘s-Hertogenbosch Court of Appeal in the Netherlands on May 14, receiving a sentence of five years and four months in prison. The court ruled that Pertsev laundered $1.2 billion through Tornado Cash. This conviction followed a previous decision in November 2023, where a Dutch court denied his plea for release under surveillance, citing a flight risk.
Despite arguing that he shouldn’t be held responsible for illegal uses of Tornado Cash, the court ruled that Pertsev and his co-founders could have done more to prevent criminal activity. Now, with limited access to resources and legal tools, Pertsev’s defense faces significant obstacles, making the need for financial support more critical than ever.
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