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Paradigm donates $1.25 million to support Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm’s legal defense amid regulatory scrutiny.
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Storm faces up to 45 years on charges including money laundering and sanctions evasion, sparking concerns over developer liability.
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Texas court reverses Tornado Cash sanctions, adding momentum to Storm’s case and raising questions about crypto regulation.
Paradigm pledges $1.25 million to Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm’s legal defense as a Texas court reverses sanctions, highlighting developer risks.
Paradigm to Support Roman Storm’s Legal Defense
Paradigm co-founder Matt Huang took to social media platform X (Twitter), expressing his concerns over Storm’s prosecution and committing to support his legal defense.
“Paradigm will be donating $1.25M to help fund Roman Storm’s legal defense. The prosecution’s case threatens to hold software developers criminally liable for the bad acts of third parties, which would have a chilling effect in crypto and beyond. We must stand with Roman Storm,” Huang wrote.
This commitment reflects the growing concerns within the crypto industry regarding legal actions against developers of privacy-focused blockchain technology.
Storm, one of the founders of Tornado Cash, has been embroiled in a legal battle that he claims criminalizes software development. A week ago, he published a detailed X post outlining his predicament.
“… I am being prosecuted for writing open-source code that enables private crypto transactions in a completely non-custodial manner. This prosecution represents a terrifying criminalization of privacy. The charges against me threaten to criminalize software development itself,” Storm lamented.
Storm faces severe legal repercussions, including a potential prison sentence of up to 45 years. Charges range from operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business and conspiracy to commit money laundering to sanctions evasion. The case has drawn widespread support from various organizations advocating for DeFi and privacy rights.
Groups such as the DeFi Education Fund, Coin Center, and Blockchain Association have filed multiple amicus briefs. His legal counsel, Keri Axel of Waymaker LLP, criticized the prosecution’s approach, arguing that it reflects confusion over regulatory interpretations.
American politician and former D.O.G.E co-leader Vivek Ramaswamy also weighed in on the case, challenging the move to go after the developers of code as opposed to individual bad actors. Against this backdrop, Storm’s case has also raised alarm among developers and digital rights advocates. They fear that it could set a dangerous precedent for open-source software creators.
“…I’m at a loss for how anyone can charge software developers with a crime for building open source code, which automates permissionless financial applications (as it was intended) but then gets misused by whoever the state deems bad actors…I hope you beat this case…if you lose, it sets a precedent for killing real DeFi–permissionless, KYC-less access across the globe, in favor of all the gate-keeping that makes TradFi so broken and unavailable for most to access,” a DeFi advocate remarked.
Meanwhile, this development comes only days after a Texas court reversed sanctions against Tornado Cash. The ruling, handed down by the 5th Circuit Court, deemed that the sanctions imposed on Tornado Cash were unlawful. This development has added momentum to Storm’s defense, bolstering arguments that his prosecution may be unjustified.
The other co-founder of Tornado Cash, Alexey Pertsev, also remains embroiled in legal struggles. Earlier this month, Pertsev took to X to express his gratitude for the financial support he received from key crypto industry figures, including Vitalik Buterin.
“I would like to thank everyone, especially Vitalik Buterin & Stefan George, for your incredible generosity to my defense. Your support inspires me to move forward, and I’m forever grateful. While the legal battle is far from over, I’m hopeful 2025 brings positive developments,” Pertsev wrote.
The legal battles surrounding Tornado Cash highlight the ongoing tension between privacy-focused technologies and regulatory enforcement. With Paradigm’s substantial financial backing, Storm’s legal team will continue challenging the charges against him.
Conclusion
Paradigm’s significant backing in Roman Storm’s case underscores the mounting tension between regulatory scrutiny and the principles of open-source software development. As the situation unfolds, the crypto community watches closely, hoping for a favorable resolution that could affirm the importance of developer rights in the evolving landscape of digital finance.
