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Friday saw the release of Alexey Pertsev, a developer behind the cryptocurrency mixer Tornado Cash, from pretrial detention in the Netherlands. Pertsev, who faces money laundering charges, announced his release under electronic monitoring, allowing him to work on his appeal.
Pertsev was convicted last year and sentenced to 64 months in prison for his role in allegedly facilitating the laundering of $1.2 billion in cryptocurrency through Tornado Cash between July 2019 and August 2022. The developer has since challenged the verdict and is now set to focus on his legal defense outside of prison.
The decision to suspend Pertsev’s pretrial detention came with the stipulation of electronic surveillance, a condition he acknowledged in his statement. "Dear Friends, on Friday 7 February at 10 am I will be free! It is not real freedom, but it is better than prison," Pertsev expressed. "This will give me a chance to work on my appeal and fight for justice."
In related developments, Roman Storm, co-founder of Tornado Cash, is also embroiled in legal proceedings, albeit in the United States. His situation has garnered the attention of notable figures in the cryptocurrency community, including Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin. They have called for U.S. President Donald Trump to dismiss the charges against Storm, paralleling the recent pardon of Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht.
Amid the ongoing legal challenges for Tornado Cash developers, support has materialized in the form of financial backing. Matt Huang, co-founder of the investment firm Paradigm, announced last month a donation of $1.25 million to aid Storm’s defense against the charges he faces in the U.S.
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