Tornado Cash's Alexey Pertsev Appeals Against Money Laundering Conviction

By: Eva Baxter

Alexey Pertsev, the developer of Tornado Cash, is challenging his recent conviction on money laundering charges in the Dutch s-Hertogenbosch Court of Appeal. Pertsev was sentenced to a 64-month prison term by a Dutch court for laundering approximately $1.2 billion through the crypto mixer Tornado Cash from July 2019 to August 2022. His appeal was filed within the 14-day window mandated by the court, and the scheduling for the appeal hearing may take a considerable amount of time.

The conviction of Pertsev has attracted criticism from crypto stakeholders viewing it as a setback to privacy, cryptography, and open-source technology. Despite the legal troubles of the founder, Tornado Cash continues to be utilized within the crypto community. Notably, North Korea-backed Lazarus Group also reportedly used the platform for its illicit activities, laundering $147.5 million through the crypto mixer in March 2024.

Furthermore, the outcome of this sentencing could also impact the ongoing court proceedings of Tornado Cash's co-founder, Roman Storm, in the United States, who was indicted by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on money laundering charges and violations of sanction laws in August 2023.