The Blockchain Association, Coin Center and DeFi Education Fund supported a motion for the U.S. government to dismiss charges against Roman Storm.
Representatives of three United States-based cryptocurrency advocacy organizations have filed amicus briefs in support of a motion to dismiss the charges against Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm.
In April 5 filings in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the Blockchain Association, Coin Center and DeFi Education Fund argued that Tornado Cash did not have control of the funds or messages users sent through the cryptocurrency mixer. The advocacy groups separately claimed that the three felony counts Roman faces should be dismissed, citing First Amendment issues regarding the Tornado Cash co-founder allegedly violating sanctions and the U.S. government “misunderstand[ing] the basic relationship between smart contract protocols and their developers” regarding allegations of money laundering.
“Adoption of the government’s legal theory would not only have adverse repercussions for the digital asset industry but also raise serious concerns regarding fintech more generally,” said Blockchain Association Head of Legal Marisa Coppel. “We urge the court to hold the government up to its burden and dismiss the unfounded charges, safeguarding both the defendants’ rights and the integrity of the burgeoning digital asset sector.”
