Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum’s co-founder, has donated 50 ETH (roughly $170,000) to assist the authorized protection of Roman Storm, a Twister Money developer.
The donation, confirmed by Storm on Dec. 31, marks one other vital gesture by Buterin in protection of privateness and open-source improvement inside the crypto house.
Storm expressed heartfelt appreciation for Buterin’s contribution whereas acknowledging the Ethereum co-founder’s ongoing assist throughout a difficult time. He wrote:
“Immense gratitude to Vitalik Buterin for his beneficiant donation to my authorized protection fund. Your unwavering assist and management by instance proceed to encourage us all. Thanks for standing with me throughout this difficult time.”
Storm additionally shared an replace on the progress of his authorized protection fund, which has to this point raised $640,061—33% of the $2 million goal.
Storm is scheduled to face trial within the US on April 14 over allegations of cash laundering and sanctions violations by way of the crypto mixing platform Twister Money.
Authorized efforts
Storm’s donation announcement follows his December movement to dismiss the legal expenses towards him.
His authorized workforce argued {that a} current courtroom ruling questioning the US Treasury’s authority to sanction Twister Money’s immutable good contracts undermines the case towards him.
In accordance with Storm’s attorneys, Twister Money’s good contracts function autonomously with out particular person management. They emphasised that this lack of oversight negates claims that Storm knowingly violated the Worldwide Emergency Financial Powers Act (IEEPA).
The protection additional argued that the federal government’s case misrepresents Twister Money’s decentralized nature. Autonomous good contracts course of transactions independently, making it unimaginable to attribute their actions to Storm.
They contend that this lack of direct management removes the intent and data required to justify cash laundering expenses or unauthorized cash transmission.
In the meantime, the case has drawn vital neighborhood response, with Greg Lang, the founding father of Rivet, saying:
“Creating and publishing open supply privateness instruments is protected speech—not an act in furtherance of any legal conspiracy that makes use of the software program.”
