Rallying for Privacy: Tornado Cash Developers Secure Legal Defense Funds

The developers behind Tornado Cash, a cryptocurrency mixing service, have successfully raised over $350,000 for their legal defense after being targeted by U.S. authorities in a crackdown operation. One of the arrested developers, Roman Storm, who holds dual U.S. and Russian citizenship, expressed his hopes for community support and emphasised the significance of the year 2024 in his legal battle. Notably, NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden lent his support to the cause, stressing that "Privacy is not a crime." The arrests and legal challenges revolve around allegations of money laundering and sanctions violations, with U.S. authorities claiming that Tornado Cash was used to launder over $1 billion, including funds stolen by the Lazarus hacking group sponsored by North Korea.