Push for Clemency in Tornado Cash Case
More than 65 advocacy groups across civil liberties, tech, and crypto sectors have come together to ask former President Donald Trump to intervene in the case against Roman Storm, co-founder of Tornado Cash. The groups are urging Trump to drop all remaining federal charges and overturn Storm’s conviction, citing concerns over software rights and digital privacy.
Tornado Cash, a decentralized privacy tool on Ethereum, allows users to mix crypto transactions to obscure their origin and destination. U.S. authorities have charged Storm with conspiracy to commit money laundering and violating sanctions laws — a move that has drawn criticism from digital rights organizations.
Freedom to Code or Aiding Crime?
At the heart of the debate is whether writing open-source privacy software should be treated as a criminal act. Advocacy groups, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and Coin Center, argue that prosecuting Storm sets a dangerous precedent that could threaten freedom of expression and innovation in the U.S.
They contend that Tornado Cash, as a decentralized tool, cannot be controlled by any single individual, and that Storm’s role was limited to creating and publishing code — an act protected under the First Amendment.
The U.S. government, however, argues that the tool has been used by sanctioned entities and criminal actors, including North Korean hacking groups, to launder funds, justifying its crackdown.
UPDATE: More than 65 advocacy groups have asked President Trump to drop all remaining charges against Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm and overturn his conviction. pic.twitter.com/UAFgPXnQ49
What’s at Stake for Crypto Developers?
This high-profile case is seen as a major legal flashpoint for the crypto and open-source communities. If the charges are upheld, it could discourage developers from building privacy-preserving tools or engaging with blockchain tech altogether.
The call for clemency by dozens of advocacy groups signals a growing concern over how U.S. law treats crypto developers, especially in a landscape where regulation still lags behind innovation.
As Trump continues to weigh in on tech and crypto issues on the campaign trail, his response to this appeal could send a strong message — either supporting digital privacy and developer rights or reinforcing the government’s hardline stance.