08.04.2026 10:14
**US Prosecution Resists Dismissal in Tornado Cash Case, Maintaining Pressure on Co-founder Roman Storm**
Recent developments in the ongoing legal battle surrounding Tornado Cash have seen the US Department of Justice (DOJ) firmly reject a request from Roman Storm, the co-founder of the decentralized cryptocurrency mixer, for an acquittal. This pivotal decision, detailed in recent reports from internet sources, underscores the seriousness with which the authorities are pursuing the case, potentially paving the way for a retrial later this year.
The DOJ's opposition centers on the argument that Storm's defense strategy, which attempts to draw parallels with the Cox copyright case, is fundamentally inapplicable to the current charges. US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, a veteran of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), asserted that Storm's legal arguments deviate significantly from the factual circumstances of the Tornado Cash prosecution. He emphasized that the defense's reliance on a civil copyright matter is a deliberate attempt to deflect attention from the core allegations of money laundering and sanctions violations.
Storm’s legal team had indicated an intention to invoke the precedent set by the 2026 Supreme Court case *Cox Communications v. Sony Music Entertainment*, asserting that it would challenge the prosecution's claims regarding Storm’s intent to facilitate illicit financial activities. However, Clayton unequivocally dismissed this comparison, arguing that the conduct at issue in the Cox case bears no resemblance to the alleged actions of Storm and that the case itself pertains to civil liability, not criminal culpability. Critically, Clayton further highlighted the absence of evidence demonstrating that Storm implemented adequate anti-money laundering safeguards within the Tornado Cash platform. This resistance from the DOJ means that the legal battle surrounding Roman Storm and Tornado Cash is far from over, with the possibility of a new trial looming large on the horizon.
