Tornado Cash Developer Alexey Pertsev Sentenced to Prison

A court in the Netherlands sentenced Alexey Pertsev, the developer of Tornado Cash, accused of involvement in money laundering amounting to over $2 billion. Pertsev was sentenced to 64 months in prison. A partnership trial in the case of another co-founder of the project is scheduled for September 2024.

Alexey Pertsev was detained in Amsterdam in August 2022 after the Tornado Cash mixer was included in the “black list” of the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). In March 2024, the Dutch prosecutor's office charged Pertsev with creating and maintaining a service used for money laundering.

The arrest of Pertsev and his colleagues caused a wide resonance in the crypto community. Many expressed support for the developers, noting possible restrictions on the right to write code and the biased attitude of the authorities. In April 2024, it was reported that funds were being raised to pay for the services of lawyers defending Pertsev and his colleagues.

The court justified the sentencing decision by stating that Tornado Cash functioned as a tool for money laundering, and the creators of the project knew about its illegal use. According to the court, the project facilitated the financing of crimes and terrorism. Authorities also alleged that more than $2 billion was laundered through Tornado Cash, including funds obtained as a result of the hack of the Axie Infinity project.

Pertsev intends to appeal the court's decision. A hearing for another Tornado Cash developer, Roman Storm, is scheduled for September 2024. The crypto community continues to express differing opinions regarding the fairness and consequences of this court decision.