In their legal dispute with the US government, the two creators of the mixing service Tornado Cash have the backing of the Blockchain Association, a well-known advocacy group for cryptocurrencies.

The North Korean hacker outfit Lazarus received assistance from Roman Storm and Roman Semenov of Tornado Cash last year in order to launder illegal funds through the mixing service.

Storm's attorneys argued last week that the developer only produced decentralized software solutions to "provide financial privacy to legitimate cryptocurrency users," which is not illegal in and of itself. They sought to have the case dismissed.

The Blockchain Association is currently supporting Roman Storm and the government's prosecution of its two creators by submitting an amicus brief.

"The Blockchain Association has submitted an amicus brief in the United States v. Storm case, pointing out a significant defect in the prosecution of Roman Storm and Roman Semenov, the developers of Tornado Cash.

The indictment’s portrayal of the government’s money-transmitter charges lacks substance, primarily because the indictment fails to allege facts demonstrating the defendants’ or Tornado Cash’s control over the funds at issue.”

An amicus brief is a legal document filed in an appellate court by a non-involved party in a case. Written by “friends of the court,” the briefs aim to contain additional information or arguments to assist the court in making its decision.

Blockchain Association Head of Legal Marisa Coppel of the case says:

“Adoption of the government’s legal theory would not only have adverse repercussions for the digital asset industry but also raise serious concerns regarding fintech more generally. We urge the court to hold the government up to its burden and dismiss the unfounded charges, safeguarding both the defendants’ rights and the integrity of the burgeoning digital asset sector.”