Tornado Cash Founder Roman Storm Convicted in U.S. Trial; Jury Deadlocks on Major Charges

A U.S. federal jury in Manhattan has found Roman Storm, co-founder of crypto privacy protocol Tornado Cash, guilty of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, while deadlocking on more serious charges related to money laundering and sanctions evasion.

The mixed verdict comes amid rising regulatory scrutiny on crypto mixers—tools that enhance privacy by making cryptocurrency transactions harder to trace.

Jury Reaches Partial Verdict in Tornado Cash Trial

Storm, 36, faced three felony charges, including allegations that he conspired to launder over $1 billion in illicit funds, including hundreds of millions tied to the Lazarus Group, a sanctioned North Korean-backed hacking organization. While the jury could not reach a verdict on the laundering and sanctions-related counts—each carrying up to 20 years in prison—Storm now faces up to five years for the lesser charge of operating an unlicensed money transmission business.

He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Katherine Failla, though a date has not yet been set. Prosecutors have not confirmed whether they will re-try Storm on the unresolved charges.

Defense Claims Storm Had No Criminal Intent

Storm, who was arrested in 2023, pleaded not guilty to all charges. His defense argued that while Tornado Cash could be misused by criminals, Storm’s intent was to promote privacy—not facilitate illegal activity.

“Roman very much did not want hackers and scammers to use Tornado Cash,” said defense attorney David Patton during closing arguments, asserting that Storm had no intention to assist criminal actors.

Defense attorney Brian Klein expressed relief that the jury rejected the most serious charges and voiced confidence in appealing the remaining conviction.

“We are grateful the jury did not convict Roman for violating sanctions or laundering money,” said Klein. “We believe the unlicensed money transmission charge also raises serious legal concerns and are hopeful Roman will be vindicated.”

Prosecutors Allege Storm Ignored Warnings

Prosecutors painted a different picture, arguing that Storm was repeatedly warned between 2020 and 2022 that Tornado Cash was being exploited by cybercriminals and sanctioned entities—but continued operating the platform for profit.

“The real money wasn’t in protecting privacy for regular folks—it was in providing cover for big-time crypto criminals,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Gianforti.

Tornado Cash and North Korea: Sanctions, Controversy, and Policy Reversals

Tornado Cash was originally sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department under President Joe Biden's administration for allegedly enabling North Korea’s financial network. However, in a surprising policy shift, the Treasury lifted those sanctions in March 2025, under President Donald Trump’s administration, citing evolving legal and technological landscapes.

What’s Next for Roman Storm?

Storm may seek to overturn the remaining conviction or file an appeal after sentencing. Meanwhile, the legal outcome underscores the growing tension between crypto privacy tools and global enforcement efforts targeting money laundering and sanctions violations.