Tornado Cash 聯合創始人 Roman Storm 提出駁回指控的動議

在對加密貨幣混合器進行嚴格審查的情況下，Tornado Cash 聯合創始人 Roman Storm 已正式要求撤銷對他的洗錢指控。 Storm 的辯護稱，該平台的非商業性質、不變的設計以及不收取交易費用，削弱了這些指控。該案凸顯了數位交易中監管監督和隱私權之間持續存在的爭論。

Roman Storm, Co-Founder of Tornado Cash, Formally Requests Dismissal of Allegations

Tornado Cash 聯合創始人 Roman Storm 正式要求駁回指控

In a pivotal development in the cryptocurrency industry, Roman Storm, the co-founder of the digital currency mixer Tornado Cash, has formally submitted a motion to dismiss all charges against him. These charges include conspiracy to commit money laundering and violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

在加密貨幣行業的一項關鍵發展中，數位貨幣混合器 Tornado Cash 的聯合創始人 Roman Storm 已正式提交動議，駁回對他的所有指控。這些指控包括共謀洗錢和違反《國際緊急經濟權力法》(IEEPA)。

In a comprehensive legal filing dated March 29, 2023, filed with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Storm's legal counsel vehemently defended their client. They asserted that the allegations of money laundering conspiracy are baseless, citing the platform's design, which became immutable and publicly accessible before being exploited by sanctioned entities.

在 2023 年 3 月 29 日向美國紐約南區地方法院提交的一份綜合法律文件中，Storm 的法律顧問強烈為其客戶辯護。他們聲稱，有關洗錢陰謀的指控毫無根據，並引用了該平台的設計，該設計在被受制裁實體利用之前已成為不可變且可公開訪問的。

This case has emerged amidst heightened scrutiny of cryptocurrency mixers by the U.S. government. Such mixers have been lauded within the digital currency community for enhancing transactional privacy and confidentiality. Despite facing severe accusations, including assisting the North Korean Lazarus Group in evading U.S. sanctions—allegedly to support North Korea's nuclear ambitions—Storm's defense emphasizes the non-commercial nature of Tornado Cash. The defense argues that the platform, lacking the characteristics of a money-transmitting business, charged no fees for transactions, highlighting user control over their cryptocurrencies.

此案是在美國政府對加密貨幣混合器加強審查的背景下出現的。此類混合器因增強交易隱私和保密性而在數位貨幣社群中受到稱讚。儘管面臨嚴厲指控，包括協助北韓拉撒路集團逃避美國制裁（據稱是為了支持北韓的核野心），Storm 的辯護強調了龍捲風現金的非商業性質。辯方認為，該平台缺乏匯款業務的特徵，不收取交易費用，凸顯了用戶對其加密貨幣的控制權。

Storm, who pleaded not guilty in September 2023 and was subsequently released on a $2 million bond, has consistently advocated for financial privacy in the cryptocurrency space. His legal team maintains that the charges against him are without merit and warrant dismissal, emphasizing that Storm's intent was to provide a tool for compliant cryptocurrency users to enhance their financial privacy.

Storm 於 2023 年 9 月表示無罪，隨後以 200 萬美元的保釋金獲釋，他一直主張加密貨幣領域的財務隱私。他的法律團隊堅稱，對他的指控毫無根據，值得駁回，並強調 Storm 的目的是為合規的加密貨幣用戶提供一個工具，以增強他們的財務隱私。

This legal battle underscores the ongoing debate surrounding privacy in digital transactions and the delicate balance between regulatory oversight and individual privacy rights. At one point, the Arbitrum DAO contemplated allocating approximately $1.3 million in ARB tokens to support Storm's legal defense, recognizing Tornado Cash's contribution to privacy and security in the cryptocurrency realm. However, this proposal was later withdrawn, and a separate fundraising initiative on GoFundMe was terminated due to policy violations, resulting in the refund of $30,000 in collected funds.

這場法律之戰凸顯了圍繞數位交易隱私的持續爭論以及監管監督與個人隱私權之間的微妙平衡。 Arbitrum DAO 一度考慮分配約 130 萬美元的 ARB 代幣來支持 Storm 的法律辯護，承認 Tornado Cash 對加密貨幣領域隱私和安全的貢獻。然而，該提案後來被撤回，GoFundMe 上的另一項籌款活動也因違反政策而被終止，導致 3 萬美元的募款被退還。

In August 2022, the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on Tornado Cash, alleging that the platform had been used to launder over $7 billion in illicit funds since its inception, with the North Korean Lazarus group among its users. This legal battle not only highlights the complexities involved in cryptocurrency regulation but also sets a precedent for the future of financial privacy and the role of technology in safeguarding individual rights against arbitrary interference.

2022 年 8 月，美國外國資產管制辦公室 (OFAC) 對 Tornado Cash 實施制裁，聲稱該平台自成立以來已被用來洗錢超過 70 億美元的非法資金，其中北韓 Lazarus 組織就是其用戶之一。這場法律戰不僅凸顯了加密貨幣監管的複雜性，也為金融隱私的未來以及科技在保護個人權利免受任意幹擾方面的作用開創了先例。