This fight isn't about any one person, protocol, or product. It's about freedom and our fundamental human right to privacy.
Roman and Alexey are bravely carrying an incredibly heavy personal burden as they fight on behalf of all of us against two governments. Please donate.
telegram founder arrested in france and held responsible for other people using his messenger doing crimes. we have another tornado cash case on our hands. safe harbor laws don’t apply anymore? eu holding a ceo as hostage instead of going for actual criminals.
Less than 12 hours remaining to support
@rstormsf
&
@alex_pertsev
as they defend our right to privacy and to publish code.
Their fight is our fight. Please give generously.
Thank you to
@bgdlabs
, contributors to
@aave
, for donating 10 ETH to
@rstormsf
&
@alex_pertsev
's legal defense and bringing our total raised to over $750k (310 ETH).
Open source is not a crime.
Important campaign update:
Yesterday,
@gofundme
notified the campaign organizers that the fundraiser for
@rstormsf
's legal defense was cancelled. They cite Term 22 of their terms of service, which can be interpreted to mean they simply didn’t like the fundraiser.
1/ Here's everything you need to know regarding the current status of
@alex_pertsev
and
@rstormsf
's trials, what's to come in the next few months, and how you can help support the fight for privacy and the right to publish open-source code.
1/9 Defend Roman Storm:
@rstormsf
is running out of money to defend our rights to privacy and to publish code. We need your help to ensure a future where privacy is the default, not the exception.
My trial is fast approaching and time is running out, but I have faith thanks to this community’s consistent support. Please donate towards my defense if you’re able.
#defendromanstorm
Roman and Alexey's cases will carry profound implications for every single developer building on crypto rails.
Their fight is our fight and we cannot afford to lose.
If you have the means, please donate to their legal defense. Links in the next post.
Some of the arguments in the Alexey Pertsev’s verdict could apply to any blockchain or smart contract developer.
There will be an appeal.
That needs patience and money.
Thanks for reminding and supporting
@VitalikButerin
Roman and Alexey's cases will set precedent for every single developer building on crypto rails.
We cannot let these charges stand. Holding developers responsible for the actions of third parties is cruel and unjust.
Roman and Alexey deserve freedom, nothing less.
Thank you
@VitalikButerin
for donating another 30 ETH to Roman & Alexey's legal aid on
@juiceboxETH
.
With Roman's upcoming trial in September and Alexey's appeal underway, we need more help than ever.
@RyanSAdams
For anyone reading this post, you can still donate ETH to Roman & Alexey's legal defense fund via
@juiceboxETH
.
Your support is more important now than ever if we're going to continue fighting back to defend our rights to privacy and to publish code.
We are grateful to
@Meta_Cartel
for donating the remainder of their treasury (38.68 ETH) to Roman & Alexey's legal aid on
@juiceboxETH
.
MetaCartel has been funding public goods since 2019. This proposal marks the final chapter of their contributions to the Ethereum ecosystem.
Just right now,
@Meta_Cartel
grants DAO's last community proposal passed with the last of the DAO's funds sent to
@FreeAlexeyRoman
as funding support for the ongoing legal trial that is unfolding as we speak.
A fitting way to end a journey of a lifetime.
Roman & Alexey are running out of resources and need urgent help to make it through 2024.
Proposals to donate are up for discussion in
@Optimism
,
@aave
,
@MakerDAO
,
@yearnfi
,
@AlchemixFi
, and
@Uniswap
forums. If you're a delegate or community member, please show your support.
The battle is just beginning, and we're facing many more hours of costly legal work. My assets are significantly restricted while I'm on bail. If you're able to assist, please do
@cryptothegame_
so excited that 71.8 eth will be going to support the tornado cash defense fund at a moment they really need it
and 0.2 eth to the donor of the nft who gets a 100% return on it :)
Kudos to Alchemix. Important to note that there have been similar proposals on many much bigger protocols but they are unfortunately ignored.
Goes to show which protocols care about the values of our field.
Walking the walk, not only talking the talk.
Alexey will spend the next year in jail while his legal team prepares for the appeal hearing.
This is a gross miscarriage of justice. Developers do not belong in jail for the actions of third parties.
Please consider donating to Alexey's defense. Link in the next post.
Alexey's bail was just rejected 😐
even if his appeal attempt is accepted, he will have to sit in prison for the next year or so while his defense lawyers prepare for the appeal hearing...
and if his appeal is rejected, he faces his 64 month sentence 🥲
We'd like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who contributed to
@rstormsf
&
@alex_pertsev
's legal defense on
@juiceboxETH
.
Since January 22nd, we've raised 410 ETH from 780+ payments. Thank you for joining the fight to defend our rights to privacy and to publish code.
hey everyone in favor of financial privacy and freedom of speech, please support the cause by donating to help Alexey and Roman in their court battles. Victory for them is victory for all of us.
@FreeAlexeyRoman
donate here 🙏
Alexey is currently awaiting a decision on July 11th to determine if he will be released while preparing for his appeal.
Developers do not belong in jail. Please consider donating to Roman & Alexey's legal defense fund as we fight back against this gross government overreach.
Alexey's fight is our fight.
We cannot allow this verdict to go unchallenged. It is a flagrant abuse of our fundamental human right to privacy.
If you have the means, please donate to Roman & Alexey's legal defense. Link in the next post.
Shattered. Ashamed of the Dutch judicial system, blind and deaf to the true innovation and genius of Alexey & TC.
As crypto builders, we are all Alexey. We keep fighting for him, his legacy and the cypherpunk values.
The bad news? $30k in donations will no longer go towards
@rstormsf
's legal defense and we’re still only halfway to our goal of $1.5 million.
The good news? The fundraiser on
@juiceboxETH
will remain open for donations and will not go away, no matter what.
AIP-110 successfully passed and 15 ETH will be donated to Roman & Alexey's legal defense.
Thank you to the
@AlchemixFi
community & $ALCX holders. With Roman's trial in September and Alexey's appeal underway, your support is more critical than ever.
Open source is not a crime.
So, somehow we jumped the gun and announced before the proposal had actually closed.
The proposal is now officially closed and Alchemix DAO will be donating 15 ETH to the fund 🧙♂️
Thank you anonymous donor 0xd6b2...7752 for the 5 ETH contribution to Alexey’s legal aid.
Whether you’re a crypto user or a software developer, this legal battle affects all of us.
The House has voted to approve unconstitutional, warrantless searches of Americans' communications.
Now the Senate has too—late on Friday, after the media had gone home.
Only the President can stop it from becoming law, and he won't—because he's the one that asked for it. 🦅🇺🇸
We are so grateful for the support we've received from
@VitalikButerin
and many others, but the fight isn't over yet.
With Roman's upcoming trial and Alexey's appeal, we need your help more than ever.
If you have the means, please donate. Link in the next post.
Highlight of the day - asking
@VitalikButerin
his thoughts on the incarceration of Tornado Cash's Alexey Pertsev the implications for privacy tools and developers. He wouldn't comment on
#EthereumETF
.
@Cointelegraph
Thank you
@BanklessHQ
for donating $10,000 to
@alex_pertsev
's legal aid.
Alexey does not belong behind bars. He needs our help to stop this gross overreach and abuse of power by the Dutch government.
Bankless just sent $10k toward your defense
@alex_pertsev
.
On behalf of western democracies, I'm sorry - you shouldn't be in jail. You are a political prisoner.
If you support open software, join us - not just for Alexey but for our future freedoms.
Let's win the appeal.
Today's arrest of the Samourai developers signals a grim reality for the future of privacy. Like
@rstormsf
&
@alex_pertsev
, developers are at risk of facing charges for crimes they did not commit.
This is why we need your help to defend the right to privacy and to publish code.
The developers of Samourai were arrested this morning.
One extradited from Portugal.
Samourai is a bitcoin wallet that makes bitcoin private.
These developers face up to 25 yrs in prison for writing code.
The US is sending a message.
No transaction will be private.
AIP-110 is live on
@AlchemixFi
snapshot to donate up to 15 ETH to Roman and Alexey's legal aid. If you hold $ALCX, please consider voting in favour of the prop.
Voting ends in 2 days on May 23rd.
There are only 5 days left to fundraise for
@rstormsf
and
@alex_pertsev
's legal defense.
We still need ~ 260 ETH to reach our target goal to cover all 2024 legal expenses including trials. Please consider donating ETH today and help spread the word.
The Ethereum community has shown their unwavering support for
@rstormsf
and
@alex_pertsev
. But they still need our help.
Please donate and help spread the word:
.
@GofundMe
, can you provide a more detailed explanation for removing this fundraiser from your platform? You routinely allow legal defense fundraising campaigns, so why are you interfering with this one?
1/ Defend Alexey Pertsev
It has been exactly 2 years since
@alex_pertsev
's arrest and he has run out of funds to defend our right to privacy and to publish code. It's time to take a stand with Alexey and fight for what's right.
Exactly two years after my arrest in Amsterdam, I’m back behind bars, appealing a 5-year sentence. This fight isn’t just about me; it’s about our privacy rights and the future of software developers.
Please join this legal battle and donate via Juicebox.
#freealexpertsev
Everyone deserves the right to a fair trial.
Roman & Alexey were arrested at gunpoint, assets seized, and thrown in jail.
They need our help to defend themselves and the best interests of the crypto industry at large. If you have the means, please consider donating.
> “[...] he is obstructed by being in detention to prepare for his case." Cheng noted that detention overrides Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights describing an individual’s rights to a fair trial."
Everything about this case is abominable
6/ We are thankful to announce as of today that more supporting arguments have been filed in amicus briefs by
@fund_defi
,
@coincenter
, and
@BlockchainAssn
in support of the defense.
Thank you to
@nounsdao
holders and delegates who voted in favour of prop 493 to donate 40 ETH to
@alex_pertsev
&
@rstormsf
's legal defense.
We still need to reach at least 51 affirmative votes. Please help us spread the word before voting ends tomorrow Feb. 2nd at 6:30pm EST.
Starting today,
@nounsdao
holders will be able to vote if Nouns should support Alexey and Roman's legal defense fund.
Thank you
@onnnnnnnion
for writing this proposal and to the Nouns community for considering this important cause. ⌐◨-◨
This fight is bigger than one protocol or developer.
Roman & Alexey's cases will set precedent for the rights of developers to publish code and build on crypto rails.
If we don't fight back, no protocol or developer will be safe. We can't allow that to happen.
A fun little exercise to give some perspective. Replace "Tornado Cash" by any cryptocurrency of your choice, maybe try with "Ethereum" and imagine who could have been on trial today.
Pay it forward and support
@rstormsf
&
@alex_pertsev
in their fight for the right to privacy and publishing code.
Thank you to this anonymous donor for a generous 50 ETH contribution.
Latest campaign update:
We are extending our
@juiceboxETH
fundraiser through
@EthereumDenver
until March 15th with a new collection of NFTs inspired by
@brennen_eth
's vote on prop 493 ⌐◨-◨
So far we have raised ~358 ETH ($995k) on
@juiceboxETH
but we still need ~180 ETH ($500k) to reach our $1.5 million goal to cover
@rstormsf
and
@alex_pertsev
's 2024 legal fees including trials.
Please donate ETH if you can and help spread the word:
For example, in March 2018 former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe raised $566k on GoFundMe after he was fired for lack of candor in dealings with FBI investigators and director.
"It would be a mistake for a judge, a jury, or the public to accept the fearmongering argument that your privacy should be forfeit because of the evils committed by strangers."
Thanks
@davidzmorris
for this thoughtful article on
@rstormsf
+
@alex_pertsev
's cases.
Why Your Rights Are At Stake In The Tornado Cash Trial
The criminal case against Roman Storm is about much more than just one man: it's about whether our constitutional rights to privacy and free speech can persist in new technologies. By
@davidzmorris
Thank you to
@exchcx
for donating 31 ETH via
@juiceboxETH
earlier today.
With Alexey's appeal underway and Roman's trial in September, your support means the world at this critical juncture.
Open source is not a crime.
A pre-AIP is up for vote in
@AlchemixFi
's snapshot to donate ETH to
@alex_pertsev
and
@rstormsf
's legal aid. Please support this prop if you hold $ALCX, we've only reached 20% of quorum so far.
And in April 2023, Michael Cohen raised $271k on GoFundMe for legal fees in a case in which he pled guilty to tax evasion and campaign finance violations.
Over $120k (52 ETH) has now been raised for
@rstormsf
and
@alex_pertsev
's legal aid thanks to
@VitalikButerin
's recent contribution.
Repeat after us: open source is not a crime.
We have now raised over $77k (33 ETH) for
@alex_pertsev
and
@rstormsf
's legal defense. Thank you all for your support.
We still have a long journey ahead to ensure Alexey and Roman's freedom. Please continue to spread the word and give generously.
Today, Coin Center filed an amicus brief in Roman Storm's criminal case. The government has wrongly charged the Tornado Cash developers with criminal conspiracy and we are here to help set the record straight and defend First Amendment rights to publish software.
Our brief
@RyanSAdams
Thank you for speaking out, Ryan.
Reminder to anyone reading this: you can still donate ETH to Roman & Alexey’s legal defense on
@juiceboxETH
:
.
@alex_pertsev
's trial begins today in the Netherlands with
@rstormsf
's U.S. trial coming up in September.
Our fundraiser on
@juiceboxETH
for their legal defense is still ongoing. If you have the means, please donate ETH. Link in the next post.
Alexey Pertsev's trial begins today in the Netherlands. He stands accused of laundering 1.2 bio.
Recap:
- Already spent 260 days in jail since his arrest in August 2022.
- Open source builders are not criminals
- Financial privacy is a fundamental right
Developers do not belong in jail for the actions of third parties. These charges cannot stand.
We need to help Roman fight back against this egregious government overreach. If you have the means, please donate. Links in the next post.
70+ ETH could be donated to
@rstormsf
and
@alex_pertsev
's legal aid if Player
#733
wins
@cryptothegame_
ending in ~1 hour.
Please use your jury NFTs to vote for Player
#733
to help us win for Roman & Alexey. Their fight is our fight.
we're buying back into
@cryptothegame_
finale
to try and win it all for
@FreeAlexeyRoman
legal defense fund
there were a lot of cabals, deception & lies in S2, who "deserves" to win? who will you vote for with your jury NFT?
S2 is about Anon Island & we're memeing anonymous
3/ Thanks to your generous donations,
@alex_pertsev
's defense team was able to respond to each point made by the prosecution and provide several expert reports explaining why the prosecution’s money laundering theory is wrong on all counts.
The verdict is expected by May 14th.
We've raised nearly $400k (177 ETH) for
@alex_pertsev
and
@rstormsf
's legal defense. Thank you all for your support, but the fight is not over.
We need to raise ~ $1.5M to cover their legal expenses for 2024, including Alexey's upcoming trial in March and Roman's in September.
Over $300k (138 ETH) has now been raised for
@rstormsf
and
@alex_pertsev
's legal defense.
We can't stop here, though. Their legal fees range from $90-100k per month. Please give generously.
“If privacy is outlawed, only outlaws will have privacy.”
― Phil Zimmermann
If you believe that privacy is a fundamental human right worth defending, please consider donating ETH to Roman & Alexey's ongoing legal defense. Link in the next post.
This is a sad day for the Netherlands.
It's a sad day for the founding principles of open societies and western liberal democracies.
Today crypto privacy developer Alexey Pertsev was sentenced to 5 years in prison by Netherlands court for developing an open source tool that
With Roman's upcoming trial in September and Alexey's appeal underway, legal expenses are estimated at $500k/month for the next few months.
These brave developers desperately need help to make it through 2024. If you have the means, please donate. Links in the next post.
Fighting for our freedom is very costly, and I am severely underfunded for my legal defense. If you can spread the word and help, I would greatly appreciate it.
Actions > Words
The U.S. government has picked a battle with our right to privacy and
@rstormsf
is running out of money to defend us. Please consider making a donation if you can, our future is at risk.
THE DEM SCAM
In VC it's not real until money is wired. And in DC it's not real until Gensler is fired. That's why Crypto for Harris is a scam: they want crypto's votes without spending any political capital.
If the policy shift was real they would immediately:
1) Fire Gary
Today we
@fund_defi
are proud to submit an amicus brief in US v. Storm, arguing that the court should not validate the government’s unprecedented and damaging theory of criminal liability for software developers. This case has important implications for developers in every
Roman and Alexey need your help to fight this battle on behalf of crypto developers and users everywhere.
Their fight is our fight, and we can’t afford to lose. Too much is at stake.
Please consider donating ETH on
@juiceboxETH
if you’re able, link in the next post.
The battle is just beginning, and we're facing many more hours of costly legal work. My assets are significantly restricted while I'm on bail. If you're able to assist, please do
Thank you to
@the_matter_labs
for this generous contribution to
@alex_pertsev
&
@rstormsf
’s legal defense.
We need to come together to defend these developers as they fight for our right to privacy and to publish code.
Open source is not a crime.
Open source is not a crime.
Today,
@the_matter_labs
donated $100K to
@FreeAlexeyRoman
to support
@rstormsf
and
@alex_pertsev
with their legal cases.
The lawsuits don’t allege that Alexey and Roman created Tornado for illegal activities, but they face charges because bad actors
Thank you to all of the
@nounsdao
holders, delegates, and community members who came together to support prop 493/502 to donate 40 ETH to
@rstormsf
and
@alexpertsev
's legal defense.
Code is speech.
Roman and Alexey are the central targets for what
@fund_defi
describes as a "full fledged assault on privacy enhancing technology" by governments around the world.
They are running out of resources to defend themselves and need your help. Link in the next post.
This week we take a look at two recent matters in, what we are dubbing, the "full fledged assault on privacy enhancing technology."
Here is just a taste of what we get into 👇
If you believe that privacy is a fundamental human right worth defending, please consider donating ETH to Roman & Alexey's legal defense on
@juiceboxETH
:
5/ His defense team argues that the U.S. government violated Roman’s constitutional rights and hasn’t even alleged the basic facts necessary to proceed with a trial.
1/9 Defend Roman Storm:
@rstormsf
is running out of money to defend our rights to privacy and to publish code. We need your help to ensure a future where privacy is the default, not the exception.
4/ Meanwhile,
@rstormsf
’s defense team has been busy trying to defeat the U.S. government’s similarly baseless charges. Last Friday, Roman's lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the indictment.
Right now, in the real world:
Crypto privacy pioneers are in a Dutch jail awaiting sentencing
Fascist governments around the world are exploiting cryptocurrencies to garner support with a global elite while suppressing fundamental human rights
Regulators are successfully
7/ The U.S. government will file its response by April 26th and Roman’s lawyers will reply by May 17th.
The hearing on these motions will be open to the public and is set for June 25th at 10am Eastern in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
1/ Today, BA filed an amicus brief in United States v. Storm, highlighting a critical flaw in the government's prosecution of Tornado Cash developers Roman Storm and Roman Semenov.
Over $300k (138 ETH) has now been raised for
@rstormsf
and
@alex_pertsev
's legal defense.
We can't stop here, though. Their legal fees range from $90-100k per month. Please give generously.
Over $120k (52 ETH) has now been raised for
@rstormsf
and
@alex_pertsev
's legal aid thanks to
@VitalikButerin
's recent contribution.
Repeat after us: open source is not a crime.
11/ Your help is still needed! It has been a stressful time for
@rstormsf
and
@alex_pertsev
with two governments using all of their resources to prosecute them and treat them like terrorists.
Alexey is awaiting the outcome of his trial and Roman's trial is set for September.
Communication does not lose constitutional protection as “speech” simply because it is expressed in the language of computer code.
- excerpt from the first appellate decision in Universal City Studios, Inc. v. Corley 273 F.3d 429 (2nd Cir., 2001)
Developers do not belong in jail for the actions of third parties. We cannot allow these charges to stand, we must defend Roman.
If you have the means, please donate to Roman's legal defense. Links in the next post.
.
@brennen_eth
's vote with reason on prop 493 is a powerful manifesto for our fundamental human rights to freedom and privacy. Each NFT has been hand-drawn with some of our favourite quotes ↓ (4/12)
.
@nounsdao
prop 493 has successfully passed with 74 votes in favour ⌐◨-◨
Thank you to the entire Nouns community for joining the fight for
@alex_pertsev
&
@rstormsf
's freedom. We are very grateful for your support.
Code is speech.
Thank you to
@nounsdao
holders and delegates who voted in favour of prop 493 to donate 40 ETH to
@alex_pertsev
&
@rstormsf
's legal defense.
We still need to reach at least 51 affirmative votes. Please help us spread the word before voting ends tomorrow Feb. 2nd at 6:30pm EST.
.
@alex_pertsev
&
@rstormsf
's cases will set important precedent for every single developer and end-user in crypto.
Their fight is our fight and they need our help to push back against this egregious government overreach.
You can still donate ETH via
@juiceboxETH
, link below.
if this prosecutor has their way, everyone in crypto will be guilty of some sort of criminal activity
they are trying to make the case that:
1. if you knew that Tornado Cash *could have* been used for illicit activity, you should have gated the smart contract (they don't seem
Open source is not a crime.
Today,
@the_matter_labs
donated $100K to
@FreeAlexeyRoman
to support
@rstormsf
and
@alex_pertsev
with their legal cases.
The lawsuits don’t allege that Alexey and Roman created Tornado for illegal activities, but they face charges because bad actors
"open-source software developers around the world [could be] subject to liability for all sorts of crimes that they cannot anticipate" –
@jchervinsky
discussing the potential implications for Alexey & Roman's legal battle for both crypto and open source software.
The US vs. Crypto: Jake Chervinsky on Crypto’s Legal and Regulatory Status
Despite legal battles over Coinbase, Uniswap, Ethereum, and others, Jake Chervinsky from
@variantfund
believes that crypto still has a future in the United States.
.
@jchervinsky
discusses crypto’s biggest
These motions are living proof of the intensive and costly work being done by
@rstormsf
's legal team.
Our fundraising efforts have helped make this possible but we need to continue raising funds to keep fighting this battle on behalf of developers around the world.
Roman Storm, the Tornado Cash developer accused of conspiring to violate sanctions and launder money through his work on the tool, filed to dismiss the criminal complaint against him Friday.
@nikhileshde
reports
We apologize to all donors who used GoFundMe for any inconvenience caused. Per GoFundMe, 100% of donations received via their platform have been refunded to donors and will arrive in their bank accounts within 3-7 business days. If that doesn’t happen for you, please let us know.
Starting today,
@nounsdao
holders will be able to vote if Nouns should support Alexey and Roman's legal defense fund.
Thank you
@onnnnnnnion
for writing this proposal and to the Nouns community for considering this important cause. ⌐◨-◨
12/ Every donation not only helps to fund ongoing legal defense work but also reminds Roman & Alexey that they are not alone in their fight against government overreach and abuse of power.
99% of people don't care about privacy until they realise that privacy is a core principle to pay attention to. Privacy isn't just a luxury for the paranoid; it's the safeguard against a future where your every move is a commodity sold to the highest bidder. Wake up early rather
2/
@alex_pertsev
's trial in the Netherlands wrapped up last week with two days of arguments at the court on March 26 and 27th. Shockingly, the prosecution is trying to put him in jail for 5+ years simply because he wrote open-source code.
Please be aware that a fake
@FreeAlexeyRoman
project has been launched today on
@juiceboxETH
with project ID 676.
Do not pay this project or trust any information they provide.
There is only one official Juicebox project (ID 618):
Justice DAO is fundraising on
@juiceboxETH
until 02/22 for the legal aid of
@TornadoCash
developers—
@alex_pertsev
and
@rstormsf
. Here's a recap of what's going on and how you can help defend the right to privacy and to publish code ⤵️
13/ Finally, we want to thank everyone who has donated to this cause. Your contributions are making a real difference in the effectiveness of the legal defense and their ability to hire qualified experts to explain the many technical issues to the courts.
⌐◨-◨ A proposal is up for vote by
@PublicNouns
to donate 5 ETH to Roman and Alexey's legal aid.
Thank you
@sminert
and the Public Nouns community for supporting the right to privacy and to publish code.