Tornado Cash Developer’s Detention Extended

A court has extended the pre-trial detention of Alexey Pertsev, the developer of the cryptocurrency mixer Tornado Cash.

I am sad to announce that, despite our best efforts, the court decided to prolong my pre-trial detention. This decision significantly complicates my ability to prepare for the appeal, but I remain determined to continue fighting for justice.

Grateful for your ongoing support.??

— Alexey Pertsev (@alex_pertsev) November 21, 2024

“This decision significantly complicates my ability to prepare for the appeal, but I remain determined to continue fighting for justice,” the programmer stated.

The court’s ruling comes amid interest from U.S. lawmakers regarding the Treasury’s measures concerning the mixing service. A group of congressmen noted that sanctions against Tornado Cash were imposed back in 2022, yet the platform continues to operate.

In the first half of 2024, there was a surge in the mixer’s use. Deposits amounted to $1.8 billion, a 45% increase compared to the entire previous year. Politicians have requested information from the department on enforcement actions against individuals and companies using Tornado Cash.

On May 14, a Dutch court found Pertsev guilty of laundering $1.2 billion through the mixer and sentenced him to 64 months in prison. He has been in custody since then. In July, he was denied bail pending an appeal.

Charges of money laundering and sanctions violations in the U.S. have also been brought against Tornado Cash co-founders Roman Storm and Roman Semenov.