Overview
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has publicly endorsed Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm, arguing that privacy-preserving software is a fundamental human right and should not be criminalized solely because it can be misused. Storm was convicted last August on a money transmitting charge tied to the crypto mixer Tornado Cash and is currently seeking relief from the courts.
Buterin’s Statement of Support
In a post on X on Friday, Buterin shared a letter he wrote in support of Storm and emphasized that he has personally relied on privacy tools, including Storm’s software.
“I have supported Roman Storm's work from the beginning both as a strong believer in the importance of privacy, and as an active user of privacy tools, including those developed by Roman,” Buterin wrote.
Buterin framed privacy as a practical safeguard in modern life, describing the risks posed when personal information is exposed.
“In the 21st century, we are all faced with risks from all corners of the world, both online and offline. If someone has information about you, they have the [ability to] exploit you—socially, commercially, or even physically,” he continued. “Being able to choose with whom we share information about our personal lives, our communications with friends and colleagues, our whereabouts and our finances, is an essential protection against this.”
Tornado Cash: Sanctions History and Alleged Criminal Use
Tornado Cash is a crypto mixer designed to help obscure the path of transactions. The U.S. Treasury placed Tornado Cash on its sanctions list in 2022 after officials said the service had been used by North Korea’s Lazarus Group and other criminals to launder billions of dollars in stolen digital assets.
The mixer was used to wash proceeds from major hacks, including the $622 million Ronin Bridge exploit and a $100 million theft from Harmony Bridge. Blockchain analytics firm Elliptic estimated that more than $1.5 billion in illicit cryptocurrency flowed through the mixer before it was sanctioned, while around $7 billion in total assets moved through the platform.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control barred Americans from using the service, though the sanctions were lifted in March 2025.
Roman Storm’s Charges, Conviction, and Pending Court Motions
Storm was charged in 2023 with conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to violate sanctions, and conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. Last August, a Manhattan jury convicted him on the unlicensed money transmitting count but deadlocked on the other charges.
Several weeks after the verdict, Matthew Galeotti, head of the Department of Justice criminal division, said software developers would no longer be convicted under the charge for which Storm had been convicted.
Storm has not yet been sentenced and has filed a motion for an acquittal, which prosecutors have opposed. He faces up to five years in prison.
Parallel Proceedings: Alexey Pertsev
Another Tornado Cash developer, Alexey Pertsev, also faced criminal proceedings. Dutch authorities arrested the Russian national in 2022, and a court later found him guilty of laundering $1.2 billion in illicit assets through the mixer, sentencing him to more than five years in prison. Pertsev has since been released to house arrest while he appeals.
The Ethereum Foundation pledged $1.25 million toward Pertsev’s legal defense.
Privacy, Governance, and the Open-Source Stakes
Buterin argued that privacy is necessary for society to function across key domains, including culture and politics, without devolving into manipulation or coercion.
“Many have the implicit viewpoint that privacy from the public is fine, but surely governments and police and intelligence agencies should be able to see everyone's information to ensure safety,” he said.
Buterin said he strongly disagreed with that approach, warning that government databases can be hacked and that sensitive information can end up in the hands of foreign adversaries.
“Agencies routinely outsource their work to private corporations, who sell the data behind everyone's back. Cell phone companies, who have everyone's location data, often casually sell it to anyone who asks, which often leads it to end up in the hands of hostile foreign governments,” he explained.
He closed by linking Storm’s work to preserving long-standing civil protections.
“Roman, and I, want to see a world where basic protections of our rights, that were an unquestioned default in the previous millennium, stay with us in the next,” he added. “And for that, I support him.”
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