Tornado Cash has become a tool for North Korea’s Lazarus Group after the hackers stole $600 million from the Ronin Bridge in 2022, US prosecutors told jurors on July 15 as the trial of Roman Storm began in Manhattan.
Storm, one of the developers behind the crypto privacy software, is accused of allowing the sanctioned group to use his service to hide stolen funds, despite being aware of its intended use.
In opening statements, Assistant US Attorney Kevin Mosley stated that Tornado Cash is a “giant washing machine for dirty money” and argued Storm chose to keep the platform running even after learning criminals were abusing it.
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However, Storm’s legal team argued that he did nothing illegal. His lawyer, Keri Axel, told the jury that Tornado Cash was a public privacy tool anyone could use, and Storm could not control what others did with it. She said:
The world is full of products that have legitimate uses and are misused. Signal, or even a hammer that can be used to break in and steal stuff. The government can’t show a criminal agreement for a criminal purpose.
Prosecutors objected twice during Axel’s statement when she raised examples about users’ safety, but the judge allowed her to finish.
According to Storm, the trial could take up to a month, with a verdict expected before mid‑August. On July 14, he requested urgent financial assistance to fund his legal defense. What did he say? Read the full story.
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