Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm said the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York filed a supplemental letter on Oct. 5 to support venue in his criminal case. According to Storm, prosecutors cited the D.C. Circuit’s Sterlingov case and argued that mixer-related funds moved through the Southern District, including activity by user Shakeeb Ahmed, who allegedly used Tornado Cash in Manhattan to deposit and withdraw funds. Prosecutors said that was enough to support venue for Count One, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and Count Two, conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, and asked the court to find venue proper. Storm said the case has now lasted 1,139 days and that the Department of Justice is still seeking a conviction. He also pointed to the Treasury Department’s statement that day describing a “chilling effect” on lawful activity from mixer rules, and cited a prosecution argument from an April 9 hearing that even lawful transactions become illegal once they pass through Tornado Cash because of money laundering and sanctions evasion.
Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm said in a post that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York submitted a supplemental letter on Oct. 5 laying out why his case should be tried in that district.
According to Storm, the filing cites the D.C. Circuit’s Sterlingov case and argues that funds tied to the mixer moved through the Southern District of New York. Prosecutors pointed to user Shakeeb Ahmed’s alleged use of Tornado Cash in Manhattan to deposit and withdraw funds, saying that was sufficient to establish venue for Count One, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and Count Two, conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. The filing asks the court to rule that venue is proper.
Storm says the case has lasted 1,139 days
Storm said the case has now been ongoing for 1,139 days and that the Department of Justice is still pushing for a conviction.
He also referred to the Treasury Department’s statement the same day that mixer rules create a “chilling effect” on lawful activity.
Storm cites April 9 prosecution argument
Storm also cited an argument made by prosecutors during an April 9 hearing: even lawful transactions that pass through Tornado Cash become illegal because of money laundering and sanctions evasion.
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