Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum, contributed 30 ETH or $111,000 to a legal fund for the Tornado Cash developers Alexey Pertsev and Roman Storm using the decentralized fundraising platform Juicebox. The above on-chain analysis reveals a transaction from an address connected to Buterin and the name vitalik. eth, made at 1:58 am EST to the “Free Alexey & Roman” legal fund.
The fund has collected 591 ETH ($2. 2 million) to support the developers of the Ethereum-based crypto mixer Tornado Cash, who were arrested for money laundering. This particular contribution shows Buterin’s commitment to the developers during the ongoing legal battle.
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Vitalik Buterin Supports Tornado Cash Developers Legally
This month, the Dutch courts convicted Alexey Pertsev to 64 months in prison for his part in the $1. 2 billion through the mixer from July 2019 to August 2022 through the use of the mixer. It held that Pertsev played a role in facilitating money laundering activities. Pertsev has also attempted to contest his conviction, filing an appeal with the ‘s-Hertogenbosch Court of Appeal in the Netherlands.
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Roman Storm, another developer associated with the Tornado Cash project, is also in custody in the US after being apprehended in 2023. His trial is set for September. The legal fund is meant to help them gather the funds needed to support their case, and the crypto community stands in solidarity with them.
In 2022, Buterin sent 10 ETH to AssangeDAO, a legal fund on Juicebox for Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder. This pattern of contributions reflects Buterin’s focus on helping those who face legal problems in the blockchain and cryptocurrency sphere.
Vitalik Buterin’s contribution to the legal defense of Tornado Cash developers shows that he remains a supporter of the cryptographic community even in the face of legal challenges. The large amounts of funds received through a fundraising campaign on the Juicebox platform show a significant effort to support Pertsev and Storm, bringing attention to the existing controversy surrounding the use and regulation of cryptocurrencies. As we look at the cases, it will be essential to have the community’s support as we try to maneuver through these legal terrains.
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Maxwell Mutuma
Maxwell is a crypto-economic analyst and Blockchain enthusiast, passionate about helping people understand the potential of decentralized technology. He writes extensively on topics such as blockchain, cryptocurrency, tokens, and more for top publications such as Coingape, Coin Edition, and The Coin Republic. His goal is to spread knowledge about this revolutionary technology and its implications for economic freedom and social good.