The Ethereum Foundation (EF) has offered strong financial support to Roman Storm as he prepares for this court trial. On June 13, the organization announced a $500,000 donation to help cover legal costs for the Tornado Cash co-founder. Storm is facing serious charges related to the crypto mixer project. The outcome of this court trial is expected to play a key role in shaping the future of decentralized finance (DeFi). EF Pledges $750K Match in Storm’s Defense The Ethereum Foundation, which supports Ethereum blockchain development, shared this news in a recent X post. In addition to the donation, the foundation promised to match up to $750,000 in further community contributions. The Foundation says privacy should be seen as normal, and creating code should not be treated as a crime. This highlights a bigger concern in crypto about punishing people for building open-source software. This financial support comes as Roman Storm prepares for trial on July 14 in New York. He is accused of conspiracy to commit money laundering and violating U.S. sanctions laws. This is related to his role in creating and running the Ethereum-based coin mixing service . Tornado Cash Sanctions Stir Industry Concerns In 2022, the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) added Tornado Cash to its sanctions list. Officials claimed criminals, even the Lazarus groups affiliated with North Korea, use these tools for money laundering and hide stolen funds trails. This move sparked concern across the crypto community, especially from industry leaders. In 2023, Coinbase played a major role in challenging the government’s actions. In March 2025, OFAC removed a crypto mixing service from its list of sanctioned entities. Months later, prosecutors dropped one charge against Roman Storm, accusing him of operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business. However, the court ruled that Tornado Cash operates as autonomous software and cannot be treated as property. Nevertheless, they are still moving forward with other serious charges. These include money laundering and conspiracy to break the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Roman Storm Fights Back, Denies Allegations Despite the mounting allegations against him, Storm has denied wrongdoing . He argued that the charges violate his rights under the First Amendment, which protects freedom of speech. His legal team has tried to have the case dismissed. He is aiming to raise $2 million to cover his defense and has already begun calling on the crypto community for help. In a recent X post , Storm urged the crypto community to recognize the high stakes of his legal battle. He warned that if he loses, it could mark the end of decentralized finance freedom. The outcome of this trial could set legal precedents for Tornado Cash and other developers working on similar technologies. The post Ethereum Foundation Backs Tornado Cash Co-Founder With Cash Donation appeared first on TheCoinrise.com .
