Ethereum Co-founder Reiterates Support for Roman Storm, Citing Privacy

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has strongly reiterated his support for Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm, who faces a potential retrial on two felony charges. Buterin posted on X, warning about the need for privacy from both the public and governments, stating he personally used Storm's software for private transactions, such as purchasing software or supporting human rights charities, without linking his name to corporate databases. Buterin praised Storm as a principled developer, contrasting him with others who prioritize profit. Storm was indicted in August 2023 for running an unlicensed money transmitter business and conspiracy charges; he was found guilty of the first charge, but the jury deadlocked on the other two. It remains unclear if prosecutors will retry Storm on the remaining charges. Many in the crypto industry support Storm, arguing that writing code is not a crime. Following the initial verdict, advocacy groups urged then-President Donald Trump to dismiss the open charges, though Trump had not publicly commented on the case.

(Source：Cointelegraph)