Tornado Cash’s Roman Storm Seeks Acquittal of Money Transmission Charge

Roman Storm, one of the co-founders of Tornado Cash, is seeking to overturn his conviction after a mixed ruling in a significant cryptocurrency case. Storm has been found guilty of conspiracy to run an unlicensed money transmitting business. On September 30, 2025, his legal team filed a motion to challenge his conviction. 

The ruling could have a significant impact of privacy-focused decentralised protocols and the legal standing of developers. Tornado Cash, launched in 2019, is a decentralized service that helps keep Ethereum transactions private and anonymous.

Split Verdict and Legal Motion

The trial ended on August 6, 2025, in a federal court in Manhattan after four weeks of intense arguments. The jury convicted Storm of one count related to unlicensed money transmission but acquitted him of conspiracy to violate sanctions. However, the jury was unable to decide on the money laundering charges. 

The defense argues that the prosecution did not show that Storm knowingly allowed criminal activity through Tornado Cash. The motion aims to dismiss the conviction and prevent a retrial on unresolved charges. The case highlights the ongoing conflict between privacy and anti-money laundering laws in decentralized finance.

Storm’s defense claims that the smart contracts behind Tornado Cash work independently of him, which limits his responsibility. They compare his case to developers of privacy tools, like VPNs, who are not charged with crimes based on how others use their products. 

A Hanging in the Balance

If Storm wins his appeal, it could protect other open-source developers. If he loses, it might lead to stricter rules for decentralized finance platforms. The court will soon issue a decision, and the ruling could establish an important precedent for future cryptocurrency cases.

Tornado Cash was co-founded by Storm, Roman Semenov, and Alexey Pertsev. From the outset, it has been a subject of controversy. Prosecutors say it helped move over $1 billion in illegal transactions, some of which are connected to North Korea’s Lazarus Group. The motion filed under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 29(c) argues there isn’t enough evidence to support the conviction for money transmission.

Meanwhile, enthusiasts and experts have argued that developers should not be held liable for the decentralized nature of code. A favorable ruling could encourage creators of privacy tools and reinforce the nature of decentralized finance. However, if the conviction is upheld, regulators may require similar platforms to register as money services businesses.

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