In a bold move that’s sending ripples through the DeFi space, the founder of Tornado Cash is rallying the crypto community as the U.S. Department of Justice intensifies its crackdown. Traders and blockchain advocates are watching closely as the DOJ’s actions raise serious questions about the future of on-chain privacy protocols.
With regulatory risk now a key driver of volatility, this case could be a bellwether for how far the government is willing to go to control decentralized finance. As the founder calls on the community for support, the stakes aren’t just legal—they’re fundamental to the freedom and anonymity many traders value in crypto markets.
Keep an eye on developments here—any resolution or escalation could shift sentiment across privacy tokens, decentralized platforms, and even $ETH itself.
😔💔 I’m Roman Storm.
I spent years building Tornado Cash—code that was non-custodial, permissionless, immutable. I believed in open-source, in privacy as a right, and in the power of DeFi to give people freedom. I never imagined I’d be on trial for writing software.
In 31 days, I stand before a court. The DOJ says I should’ve done the impossible—controlled unstoppable code, forced KYC into a decentralized protocol, or better yet, never built it at all. They’re not just coming after me—they’re sending a message to every builder in crypto.
This isn’t about crime. This is about control.
Yes, they’ve charged me with money laundering conspiracy, unlicensed money transmission, sanctions evasion. But Tornado Cash was a tool—like many in crypto. A tool used by many for privacy. Ju
The irony? Even after the current administration shut down the DOJ’s crypto unit and called for prosecutors to back off developers, my trial is still moving forward. Ross Ulbricht got a pardon. I’m still waiting for justice.
But I’m not alone.
The Ethereum Foundation stepped up with $500K, and pledged to match another $750K in community donations. Vitalik Buterin, Matt Huang, and thousands in this space believe in what I stood for—and still stand for.
Code is not a crime. Privacy is not a crime. And building the future shouldn’t be punished.
To everyone who's supported, donated, or just paid attention—thank you. This fight isn’t just mine. It’s all of ours. 🙏🌪️
#DeFi #CryptoFreedom #IAmRomanStorm
