Tornado Cash dev Alexey Pertsev seeks more funding for legal appeal

The legal battle surrounding Tornado Cash developer Alexey Pertsev has reached a critical juncture as he seeks additional funding to continue his fight for privacy rights and the freedom to publish code. 

According to the support account for Alexey Pertsev and Roman Storm, Pertsev, embroiled in a high-stakes legal dispute following his arrest two years ago, is now facing an uphill battle against government forces equipped with vast resources dedicated to his prosecution.

The support account highlighted the dire financial situation on X, noting that Pertsev has exhausted his funds. “It’s time to take a stand with Alexey and fight for what’s right,” the account stated, emphasizing the urgent need for between $750,000 and $1 million to cover ongoing legal expenses.

Crypto community support

The crypto community has shown unwavering support for Pertsev and his co-developer Roman Storm, both of whom have been charged with money laundering, sanctions violations, and operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business through Tornado Cash, a former crypto mixing service.

This support has culminated in the creation of JusticeDAO, an advocacy group aimed at raising funds for the developers' legal defenses. By June 19, the group had raised over 654 Ether (ETH), equivalent to approximately $2.3 million at that time, through a fundraiser titled "Free Alexey & Roman" on the decentralized platform Juicebox.

Additionally, another 70 Ether was raised via the JusticeDAO page. Juicebox has maintained transparency by releasing a publicly available spreadsheet that tracks the expenses of the "Free Alexey & Roman" fund, revealing that $1.39 million was spent on legal fees between December 2023 and May 2024.

Pertsev's legal battle

Despite these substantial efforts, the financial demands of Pertsev's legal battle are immense. He remains incarcerated after being denied bail, and his lawyers are preparing to appeal the charges of money laundering.

Pertsev's situation has been further complicated by the denial of his request to access a computer to prepare for his appeal, highlighting the challenges he faces in mounting an effective defense.

Pertsev was found guilty of money laundering by the 's-Hertogenbosch Court of Appeal in the Netherlands on May 14, receiving a sentence of five years and four months in prison. The court's decision was based on allegations that Pertsev laundered $1.2 billion worth of illicit assets through Tornado Cash.

This verdict followed a previous ruling in November 2023, where a Dutch court denied Pertsev's plea for release under surveillance, citing the prosecution's argument that he posed a flight risk.

During his March trial, Pertsev argued that he should not be held liable for the actions of individuals who used the Tornado Cash protocol for illegal purposes. However, the court dismissed this argument, stating that Pertsev and his co-founders could have implemented additional measures to prevent criminal misuse of the protocol.