Vitalik Buterin Condemns Criminalization of Code, Speaks Out for Tornado Cash Developer
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has publicly defended Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm, who was convicted in August on charges of conspiracy to commit unlawful money transmission and faces up to five years in prison. Buterin argued that the case criminalizes software development itself rather than addressing direct financial harm, emphasizing the importance of privacy tools as essential defenses against systemic data exploitation. He disclosed personal use of Storm’s software for charitable and technical purposes, praising its reliability compared to commercial alternatives.
Storm’s legal defense has received substantial support, with over $6.39 million raised in 2025, including donations from Buterin, the Ethereum Foundation, and other crypto entities. This case is part of a broader global crackdown on privacy-focused developers. Tornado Cash co-founder Alexey Pertsev was sentenced to 64 months in prison in the Netherlands, while Samourai Wallet founders received multi-year sentences in the U.S. for similar charges. Advocacy groups are pushing for legislative protections for software developers, amid high-level political attention, including a potential case review by former President Donald Trump.
marsbit01/12 03:36
