Roman Storm's Trial May Face Mistrial

Lawyers for Roman Storm, co-founder of Tornado Cash, are contemplating a mistrial based on concerns about government evidence. The defense contends that prosecutors presented a witness, a victim of a pig butchering scam, who likely never utilized the privacy-focused cryptocurrency mixer. As Storm enters the second week of his trial, his attorney, David Patton, challenged the witness's claim that her stolen cryptocurrency was laundered through Tornado Cash. Hanfeng Ling testified that in 2021, she fell victim to a pig butchering scam and claimed a recovery service indicated that some of her funds had passed through Tornado Cash. However, Storm’s legal team reported they could not trace her funds back to the mixer. Ethereum security expert Taylor Monahan stated on social media that scammers typically avoid using Tornado Cash. She elaborated on her belief that Ling's funds had not been laundered through the platform, emphasizing, “Due to the aforementioned crackhead explosion tracing, I already knew that her funds did NOT go to Tornado. I have no clue what they were tracing. There’s no Tornado Cash.” Storm's trial began last week in a Manhattan federal court, where he faces charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering and sanctions violations linked to Tornado Cash. If found guilty on all counts, he could face a prison sentence of up to 45 years. He has entered a not guilty plea.