- Alexey Pertsev is out of prison but remains under house arrest while fighting his money laundering conviction.
- US courts overturned sanctions on Tornado Cash, but regulators are still watching closely.
- Crypto supporters, including Vitalik Buterin, have donated to help cover legal costs.
- Hackers are still using Tornado Cash, which could complicate Pertsev’s case.
After spending nearly nine months behind bars, Tornado Cash co-founder Alexey Pertsev is finally out of prison—but his battle is far from over.
While he can now return home, he’s still under house arrest as he fights to overturn his money laundering conviction.
Freedom is priceless, but my freedom cost a lot of money. My house arrest was only possible thanks to the work of lawyers, who were paid from your donations. My fight is not over yet and for a final and confident victory I still need your help. Please support our fight here… pic.twitter.com/WT1eWhXhAi
— Alexey Pertsev (@alex_pertsev) February 7, 2025
Pertsev’s arrest in August 2022 sent shockwaves through the crypto world. His case raised huge questions about whether developers can be held responsible for how people use their code.
Pertsev insists that he never personally laundered money—he just built an open-source tool that some bad actors took advantage of.
Now, as he prepares for his appeal, he’s reaching out to the crypto community for support.
I would like to thank everyone, especially @VitalikButerin & @StefanDGeorge for your incredible generosity to my defense. Your support inspires me to move forward and I’m forever grateful.🙏🏼
While the legal battle is far from over, I’m hopeful 2025 brings positive developments.
— Alexey Pertsev (@alex_pertsev) January 8, 2025
“Freedom is priceless, but my freedom cost a lot of money. My house arrest was only possible thanks to the work of lawyers, who were paid from your donations. My fight is not over yet, and I still need your help,” Pertsev said in a social media post.
Tornado Cash Gets a Legal Win, But There’s a Catch
Pertsev’s release isn’t the only big news surrounding Tornado Cash.
A US court recently overturned sanctions against the platform, ruling that the US Treasury overstepped its authority when it blacklisted Tornado Cash in 2022.
This decision gave a boost to Tornado Cash’s TORN token, which saw a surge in price following the ruling.
Crypto Community Stands with Pertsev
Many in the crypto world see Pertsev’s case as a fight for financial privacy. Big names are stepping up to help fund his legal defense:
- Paradigm, a major crypto investment firm, has pledged $1.25 million to support Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm’s legal battle.
- Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has also donated to the Tornado Cash developers.
Despite this support, Pertsev’s case isn’t over yet.
“I would like to thank everyone, especially Vitalik Buterin and Stefan George, for your incredible generosity to my defense. Your support inspires me to move forward, and I’m forever grateful. While the legal battle is far from over, I’m hopeful 2025 brings positive developments,” Pertsev wrote.
Hackers Are Still Using Tornado Cash—And That Could Be a Problem
While Tornado Cash supporters celebrate the court ruling, regulators are still keeping a close eye on the platform.
And here’s the problem—Tornado Cash is still being used for shady transactions.
In just one month last year, hackers laundered over $50 million through the platform.
This could make things worse for Pertsev’s appeal. If prosecutors can prove that Tornado Cash continues to enable illegal activity, it might hurt his chances of getting his conviction overturned.
For now, Pertsev can be home with his family, but his freedom is still hanging in the balance. The next few months could determine his fate—and shape the future of open-source development in crypto.
