Alexey Pertsev, a developer for the controversial cryptocurrency mixing platform Tornado Cash, is set to be released from prison on February 7.
In a post on X, Pertsev announced his release, noting that a Dutch court had recently cancelled his pretrial detention. This decision allows him to complete the rest of his time under electronic monitoring. He expressed his appreciation for the court’s ruling, emphasizing that it allows him to concentrate on his active legal appeal.
Dear Friends, on Friday 7 February at 10 am I will be free! It is not real freedom, but it is better than prison. Today, a Dutch court suspended my pretrial detention under the condition of electronic monitoring. This will give me a chance to work on my appeal and fight for…
— Alexey Pertsev (@alex_pertsev) February 6, 2025
The developer has been in detention in the Netherlands since August 2022, following sanctions imposed by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Tornado Cash over allegations of facilitating money laundering and illicit financial activities.
In May 2024, Pertsev was formally charged with money laundering and subsequently sentenced to five years and four months in prison. His legal team filed an immediate appeal, arguing that developers should not be held liable for creating decentralized smart contract protocols, a stance supported by many in the cryptocurrency community.
Despite his legal efforts, Pertsev’s bail applications were rejected on three occasions, with the most recent denials in November 2023 and July 2024. Prosecutors argued that the developer posed a flight risk, opposing any release under surveillance conditions.
The Dutch court’s sentencing hinged on claims that Pertsev and other Tornado Cash co-founders failed to implement measures to prevent misuse of the platform by criminal organizations, such as the North Korean cybercrime group Lazarus.
The controversy surrounding Tornado Cash escalated in August 2023 when U.S. authorities indicted Pertsev and co-founders Roman Storm and Roman Semenov on charges of conspiracy and facilitating the laundering of over $1 billion in illicit funds.
Meanwhile, the United States’ actions against Tornado Cash and its co-founder Roman Storm were criticized as a “disregard for privacy” by Amanda Tuminelli, chief legal officer of the DeFi Education Fund. The organization, which advocates for DeFi innovation and fairness, filed an amicus brief challenging the government’s approach.
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