An activist group launched a authorized protection fund for accused Twister Money builders Alexey Pertsev and Roman Storm on Jan. 22.
Roman Storm endorsed the fundraiser, stating:
“2024 is the yr that can outline the remainder of my life. Actually, I’m scared. But additionally hopeful that this group cares with a ardour. Please donate in direction of my authorized protection.”
The DAO was additionally introduced by Ameen Soleimani, who’s related to varied Ethereum and cryptocurrency tasks. Soleimani wrote:
” … Roman & Alexey are preventing for all of us. The outcomes of those trials could have far reaching penalties for ETH devs & customers, particularly these engaged on privateness instruments.”
The fund is organized by a bunch known as Free Pertsev & Storm. The group acknowledged that the fundraiser will run from Jan. 22 to Feb. 22 and famous that the defendants’ authorized charges would vary between $90,000 and $100,000 per 30 days. It added that the “upcoming months might be essential in shaping their protection technique.”
Donations are attainable by means of three fundraising platforms. As of 11:00 p.m. UTC on Jan. 22, Free Pertsev & Storm’s fundraiser web page on JuiceBoxDAO had attracted 23 ETH ($53,300) by means of 78 donations.
Moreover, the group’s GoFundMe fundraiser raised $14,745 by means of money donations. One other web site at WeWantJusticeDAO.org seems to be accepting donations as effectively, although it doesn’t report the raised quantity publicly.
The U.S. is taking motion in opposition to coin mixers
The U.S. initially took motion in opposition to Twister Money in August 2022 because the Treasury blacklisted varied on-chain crypto addresses linked to the service.
About one yr later, the U.S. Division of Justice (DOJ) started to pursue expenses in opposition to the platform’s builders. The company charged Storm over his function in creating the coin mixer Twister Money in August 2023, alleging conspiracy expenses round cash laundering, sanctions violations, and the operation of an unlicensed money-transmitting enterprise. The DOJ concurrently charged one other particular person, Roman Semenov, who stays at giant.
Alexey Pertsev was arrested within the Netherlands in August 2022, dealing with comparable cash laundering expenses. He doesn’t at present face expenses within the U.S. however has been designated by the Treasury for his function in Twister Money.
U.S. authorities keep that Twister Money and different coin mixers are utilized in cash laundering and by cybercrime teams, together with North Korea’s Lazarus Group. Crypto group members have largely countered this and asserted that coin mixers have reputable privateness functions for basic customers.
By the way, the DeFi Training Fund submitted a remark opposing a federal proposal to deal with coinmixers as a particular cash laundering concern.