The Ethereum Foundation (EF) has donated $1.25 million to support the legal defense of Tornado Cash developer Alexey Pertsev. The donation aims to help Pertsev as he prepares to appeal his money laundering conviction in the Netherlands.
EF announced the donation on Feb. 26, stating that “Privacy is normal, and writing code is not a crime.”
Ethereum Foundation (EF) donated $1.25 million to support the legal defense of Tornado Cash developer Alexey Pertsev. Source: XPertsev shared the announcement on his X account, expressing his gratitude for the financial support.
Pertsev’s Conviction and Appeal Efforts
Dutch authorities arrested Alexey Pertsev, a Russian national living in the Netherlands, in August 2022 for his role in developing Tornado Cash, a crypto mixer that enhances transaction privacy on the Ethereum blockchain.
In May 2024, a Dutch court found Pertsev guilty of money laundering, sentencing him to five years and four months in prison. Prosecutors argued that Tornado Cash was used to conceal the movement of illicit funds. However, supporters claim that Pertsev was merely writing code for a privacy tool and not responsible for how others use the technology.
Authorities released Pertsev from prison on Feb.7 as part of a pretrial release arrangement. His legal team is now working on his appeal.
Tornado Cash is Facing Global Scrutiny
Tornado Cash has been under scrutiny from regulators worldwide. In August 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Tornado Cash, alleging that the platform was used to launder billions of dollars, including funds linked to North Korea hacking groups.
However, in a major policy shift, OFAC lifted the sanctions on Jan. 21—the day after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th U.S. president. Meanwhile, legal troubles continue for Tornado Cash developers. Roman Storm, another co-founder, is facing criminal charges in the United States. His trial is scheduled to begin on April 14, 2025.
Ethereum Community Rallies Behind Pertsev
Notably, The Ethereum Foundation’s donation is not the first financial support Pertsev has received from the Ethereum community.
In December 2024, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin donated 50 Ether—worth approximately $170,000 at the time—to support the legal defense of both Pertsev and Storm. Additionally, in January 2025, crypto investment firm Paradigm announced a $1.25 million donation to support Storm’s legal defense.
Pertsev publicly acknowledged the donations, thanking Buterin and others for their generosity.
The post Ethereum Foundation Donates $1.25M to Defend Tornado Cash Developer in Money Laundering Case appeared first on Coinchapter.
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