Alexey Pertsev, a developer of the controversial Tornado Cash crypto mixer, has filed an appeal with the s-Hertogenbosch Court of Appeal in the Netherlands, challenging his recent conviction on money laundering charges.
The appeal comes just days after a Dutch court sentenced Pertsev to 64 months in prison for his role in facilitating the laundering of approximately $1.2 billion through Tornado Cash between July 2019 and August 2022.
TLDR
- Tornado Cash developer Alexey Pertsev has filed an appeal with the s-Hertogenbosch Court of Appeal in the Netherlands after being found guilty of money laundering.
- Pertsev was sentenced to 64 months in prison on Tuesday for facilitating $1.2 billion in money laundering through the Tornado Cash crypto mixer between July 2019 and August 2022.
- The appeal process could take several months before the first hearing occurs, and it is unclear if the appeal has been approved yet.
- Pertsev has the opportunity to request to await the appeal trial at home, as he was immediately escorted to prison following the verdict.
- Despite the legal issues facing its founders, Tornado Cash remains in use by the crypto community, with some viewing the conviction as an affront to privacy, crypto, and open-source technology.
The court found Pertsev guilty of money laundering, stating that “Tornado Cash does not pose any barrier for people with criminal assets who want to launder them.” The verdict, which was delivered on Tuesday, saw Pertsev immediately escorted to prison to commence his sentence.
However, the developer now has the opportunity to request to await the appeal trial at home.
The appeal process is expected to be lengthy, with the court spokesperson indicating that it could take several months before the first hearing takes place.
At this stage, it is unclear whether the appeal has been approved, as the court has not yet confirmed the status of Pertsev’s application.
Pertsev’s conviction has drawn sharp criticism from various stakeholders within the cryptocurrency community, who view the ruling as an affront to privacy, crypto, and open-source technology.
Joel Valenzuela, a business development officer for Dash, commented on the matter, stating that “Tornado Cash is a smart contract on Ethereum which provides much-needed privacy to users.
Tornado Cash developer Alexey Pertsev has been found guilty of money laundering and sentenced to 64 months in prison! ????
This travesty of justice in the Dutch courts shows that the crypto crackdown is indeed global.
As a recap, Tornado Cash is a smart contract on Ethereum which… pic.twitter.com/ZxOrHPrgUD
— Joel Valenzuela (@TheDesertLynx) May 14, 2024
After it was deployed, anyone could interact with it, and no one could prevent anyone from using it. Because a certain amount of known hacked or sanctioned funds used the protocol, its founders came under threat.”
Despite the ongoing legal troubles faced by Tornado Cash’s founders, the crypto mixer remains in use by the broader cryptocurrency community.
Chris Blec, host of the Proof of Decentralization Podcast, highlighted the resilience of the platform, noting that
“Alex Pertsev received a 5 year prison sentence but Tornado Cash is still operating and being used on Ethereum and there’s not much the government can do about that.”
Alex Pertsev received a 5 year prison sentence but Tornado Cash is still operating and being used on Ethereum and there’s not much the government can do about that.
— Chris Blec (@ChrisBlec) May 15, 2024
As the legal battle surrounding Tornado Cash and its developers continues, the case has become a focal point in the ongoing debate about the balance between privacy, security, and regulation within the cryptocurrency space.
The outcome of Pertsev’s appeal and the broader implications for the future of privacy-focused crypto technologies.
