In a significant turn of events, the highly-anticipated trial of Roman Storm, co-founder of Tornado Cash, has been postponed until April 2025. This decision prolongs the legal proceedings concerning charges of money laundering and sanctions violations against the crypto developer for at least five more months.
Mandamus Petition Trial Scheduled for November 12
On Friday, November 1, Judge Katherine Polk Failla of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York announced via a telephone conference that the trial of Tornado Cash’s Roman Storm will be adjourned until April 14, 2025. This delay extends the proceedings by four months from the previously slated December start date.
The four-month postponement aims to provide both the prosecution and defense counsel with ample time to resolve their disagreement regarding expert witness disclosures. This conflict emerged when Judge Failla mandated that both parties exchange details concerning expert witnesses they might call upon during the trial.
According to an October 14 court filing, Storm’s legal team, led by Brian Klein, contested the judge’s order. They argued that such disclosures could unveil the defense’s strategy and potentially weaken the defendant’s position. Klein further contended that the defense is not legally compelled to disclose expert witness information unless the prosecution has made a similar request.
In response, Storm’s legal representatives have filed a mandamus petition with the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. A mandamus petition is a formal plea requesting a higher court to instruct a lower court or official to perform a duty or desist from an action. A hearing on this petition is slated for November 12.
Roman Storm faces three serious charges, including conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to commit sanctions violations, and conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money-transmitting business. If convicted on all counts, the crypto co-founder could face a maximum sentence of 45 years in prison.
Tornado Cash’s Semenov Remains At Large
Roman Storm has pleaded not guilty to all three charges and is currently free on a $2-million bond following his 2023 arrest. Meanwhile, Roman Semenov, another co-founder of Tornado Cash, continues to evade law enforcement and has been placed on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) wanted list. In contrast, a third co-founder, Alexey Pertsev, is serving a five-year prison sentence in the Netherlands on related charges.
The unfolding legal saga surrounding Tornado Cash and its founders continues to captivate the crypto community and legal observers alike. As the trial date approaches, stakeholders remain keenly interested in the outcome of this high-profile case, which could have significant implications for the future of cryptocurrency regulation and enforcement.
