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Tornado Cash developer Alexey Pertsev was convicted on money laundering charges and sentenced to 64 months in prison by a Dutch court today.
What's the scoop?
- Sentence: Pertsev, 31, was found guilty of laundering billions in crypto through Tornado Cash between 2019 and 2022, resulting in a sentence of five years and four months in prison.
- Judicial Comment: One judge stated, “Tornado Cash in its nature and functioning is a tool intended for criminals.”
- Broader Context: Pertsev is not alone in facing legal action for developing Tornado Cash. The protocol’s co-founder, Roman Storm, is facing similar charges in the U.S — with a trial set for September in New York.
- Appeal Window: Pertsev’s legal team has 14 days to appeal the decision.
Bankless Take:
Pertsev's sentence sets plenty of dangerous precedents for both crypto and tech development broadly. While the Dutch courts seem to have made a number of leaps in ending up at this conviction that likely would not have gelled with U.S. law, his unjust conviction is the latest development in a global war on crypto protocols and developers. Just this week, House Democrats introduced a bill in the U.S. targeting mixing services to combat money laundering.
A Sad Day for The Netherlands on Bankless
Developer Alexey Pertsev was sentenced to prison over privacy software.
Ryan Sean Adams
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