Developer of Tornado Cash Faces $1.2 Billion Money Laundering Charges in Dutch Trial
Crypto News – According to an indictment issued by Dutch prosecutors, Alexey Pertsev, the developer behind Tornado Cash, an open-source, non-custodial, fully decentralized tumbler, faces accusations of laundering $1.2 billion. The three-page document, written in Dutch, outlines allegations against Pertsev, suggesting a pattern of involvement in money laundering activities. It’s reported that Pertsev is scheduled to stand trial in the Dutch city of ‘s-Hertogenbosch beginning March 26.
The indictment details 36 purportedly illicit transactions from decentralized protocols to Tornado Cash, implicating Pertsev as a co-perpetrator in laundering assets through the crypto mixer. One significant transaction mentioned involved a substantial sum exceeding 175 ETH, reportedly originating from Ronin Bridge, a cryptocurrency protocol associated with the popular game Axie Infinity on the Ethereum blockchain.
Keith Cheng, Pertsev’s lawyer, who has represented him since his initial arrest in August 2022, contends that prosecutors have not provided sufficient transparency regarding the specific actions constituting the alleged criminal offense. Pertsev has consistently denied any violations of money laundering laws since his arrest.
In 2022, amidst Pertsev’s detention following the freezing of Tornado Cash, 50 protesters gathered on Dam Square in Amsterdam, advocating for the release of the 29-year-old developer. Following a closed-door hearing, Pertsev was adjudged to be detained for two weeks by a judge on August 12. He was ultimately released in April 2023 after serving nearly nine months, subject to ankle bracelet monitoring.
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