Roman Storm, co-founder of cryptocurrency mixer Tornado Cash, will not testify in his own defense during his federal trial on money laundering and sanctions violation charges. U.S. District Court Judge Katherine Polk Failla confirmed Storm's decision in Manhattan court proceedings this week. The trial has entered its final phase, with closing arguments imminent and a verdict expected by August 11, 2025.
Storm and fellow developer Roman Semenov were indicted in August 2023 for allegedly laundering over $1 billion through Tornado Cash, including hundreds of millions for North Korea's Lazarus Group. Prosecutors argue Storm knowingly facilitated money laundering, with Damian Williams, then-U.S. Attorney, stating they "operated Tornado Cash and knowingly facilitated this money laundering". Storm faces up to 45 years in prison if convicted.
Storm's defense maintains Tornado Cash was a decentralized privacy tool not controlled by its creators, citing internal discussions about blocking North Korean wallets. Key prosecution evidence includes a 2019 meme T-shirt worn by Storm reading "I keep my Ether clean with Tornado.cash", interpreted as intent to promote money laundering. The defense countered it reflected crypto culture humor.
Judge Failla rejected defense attempts to admit Storm's remorse messages as "self-serving", while Storm's legal fund nears its $5 million goal after a July 26 social media appeal where he stated teams were working "around the clock" with costs mounting. The trial outcome could establish precedent for developer liability regarding decentralized tools.