Why Vitalik Buterin Just Threw His Weight Behind a Convicted Tornado Cash Developer

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin continues to publicly support Roman Storm, the lead developer of Tornado Cash.

His latest show of support comes ahead of Storm’s sentencing for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.

Vitalik Buterin Backs Tornado Cash Developer Roman Storm Amid Conviction and Privacy Debate

Buterin’s endorsement frames privacy tools not as criminal instruments, but as essential safeguards against modern digital surveillance. The Ethereum executive urges the crypto community to advocate for developers facing legal risks.

“Done. Re-posting the contents for public consumption,” he stated, attaching a personal letter supporting Roman Storm.

Storm, convicted in August 2025 of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, faces up to five years in prison and fines of $250,000 or twice the value of the illicit funds.

A jury deadlocked on money laundering and sanctions-related charges, resulting in Storm’s partial acquittal, and Judge Katherine Polk Failla cited his compliance and low flight risk in denying pre-sentencing detention.

Tornado Cash, co-founded by Storm along with Alexey Pertsev and Roman Semenov, uses zero-knowledge proofs to separate blockchain senders from recipients. The platform was sanctioned by the US Treasury in August 2022, which alleged it facilitated laundering by criminal organizations, including North Korean hackers.

The case highlights broader questions about developer liability for decentralized software, especially when such tools have legitimate privacy applications.

In his public letter, Buterin emphasized that privacy tools are crucial for protecting individuals from pervasive online surveillance and the commodification of personal data. He cited personal use of Tornado Cash for anonymous software purchases and donations to human rights organizations, framing the technology as a necessary safeguard rather than a criminal tool.

Vitalik Buterin’s public letter supporting Roman Storm and privacy tools (Source: Vitalik Buterin via X)

“In the 21st century, we are all faced with risks from all corners of the world… Being able to choose with whom we share information… is an essential protection,” read an excerpt in the letter.

The crypto executive also criticized government databases and private corporations for routinely exposing sensitive information, sometimes to foreign adversaries.

Storm Calls for Community Support as Industry and Regulators Eye Privacy Tool Liability

Storm responded to Buterin’s support by thanking him and calling on the crypto community to write letters advocating for the right to build and use open-source privacy software.

They argued that writing code is a crime. They compared privacy tools to money laundering.

But we know the truth: Privacy is a human right. Math is not a crime.

The fight for my freedom – and for the future of open-source software – is at a critical moment. I need your voice to… pic.twitter.com/LIRVwFez5I

— Roman Storm 🇺🇸 🌪️ (@rstormsf) January 9, 2026

Industry backing has also emerged. The Ethereum Foundation and Keyring Network launched a joint initiative to direct protocol fees from Keyring’s zkVerified DeFi vaults for two months to Storm and Pertsev’s legal defense fund, supplemented by an additional $500,000 from the Ethereum Foundation.

The effort highlights growing concerns over the potential chilling effect of prosecuting developers for code use.

Meanwhile, regulatory signals suggest possible evolution. Matthew Galeotti, Acting Head of the DOJ’s Criminal Division, recently indicated that truly decentralized software may reduce developer liability, though these remarks are non-binding.

The comments have raised cautious optimism in the crypto community, but Storm’s upcoming sentencing will be a bellwether for privacy-preserving technology under US law.

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