Leading lights of the cryptocurrency industry are rallying behind Roman Storm, co-founder of Tornado Cash, a cryptocurrency mixing service. The Blockchain Association, Coin Center, and DeFi Education Fund have all filed legal briefs in support of Storm's motion to dismiss the charges against him.

These advocacy groups submitted their amicus briefs on April 5th in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Their arguments center around the concept that Tornado Cash, as a software platform, cannot be held responsible for the actions of its users. They emphasize that the platform itself doesn't have control over the funds or messages that flow through it.

Furthermore, the briefs raise concerns about potential violations of Storm's First Amendment rights. The advocacy groups take issue with the specific charges against him, including alleged violations of sanctions and money laundering. They argue that the U.S. government fundamentally misunderstands the relationship between developers and the smart contract protocols they create.

Marisa Coppel, Head of Legal for the Blockchain Association, highlights the potential negative consequences of the government's legal stance: "If the court adopts this legal theory, it could have serious repercussions not just for the digital asset industry, but for fintech as a whole. We urge the court to hold the government accountable and dismiss these unfounded charges. This will not only protect the rights of the defendants, but also safeguard the integrity of the burgeoning digital asset sector."

These legal challenges come on the heels of charges filed by the U.S. Department of Justice against Storm and co-developer Roman Semenov in August 2023. Storm has pleaded not guilty and remains free on bond, though his travel is restricted. Semenov's whereabouts are currently unknown, but Storm is scheduled to face trial in September.

This isn't the only Tornado Cash-related case. In the Netherlands, developer Alexey Pertsev was arrested in August 2022 but later released. Dutch authorities accused him of facilitating North Korean hacking groups who allegedly used Tornado Cash to launder illicit funds.

The crux of these cases revolves around the U.S. Treasury Department's decision to blacklist certain crypto addresses associated with Tornado Cash. This move sparked lawsuits from crypto advocates challenging the Treasury's actions. However, both lawsuits remain in limbo while appeals are pending.