Federico Carrone, a prominent Ethereum core developer widely known as “Fede’s Intern” on social media, has been released after being detained for 24 hours in Turkey over alleged ties to an Ethereum privacy protocol.
Carrone revealed his release in a statement posted on X Monday, expressing relief and gratitude for the support that helped secure his freedom.
The Turkish Ministry of Internal Affairs accused Carrone of “helping others misuse Ethereum,” linking him to a privacy protocol reportedly connected to a January 2022 research paper examining user privacy on Ethereum and Tornado Cash. Carrone denied any wrongdoing, emphasizing that his work was purely academic research focused on mixers and their privacy properties, not facilitating illegal activities.
I’m finally out, safe and free. There was a small moment were things looked very bad but thanks to help from many I got released. Sorry if I didn’t answer every message. I was in calls non stop the last 24 hours with too many people and I only slept two hours.
Yesterday I landed… https://t.co/d54KXELtbC pic.twitter.com/z1c39K1yAS
— Fede’s intern 🥊 (@fede_intern) August 11, 2025
Carrone described the initial stages of his detention as dire, revealing he was at one point threatened with the confiscation of his mobile phone and barred from communication. However, a swift global response from his network of friends and colleagues — spanning the UAE, UK, US, Europe, Argentina, and even the Catholic Church — mobilized efforts to intervene. Representatives from the Solana ecosystem also provided contacts and assistance during this critical time.
“I will never forget their help and hope to one day give back to everyone who supported me,”
Carrone said.
Although now safely back in Europe, Carrone noted that the legal process remains active. His Turkish attorney continues to work on his defense, and the full circumstances surrounding the detention are still unclear. Carrone expressed his commitment to clearing his name and defending against the accusations once the situation stabilizes.
In a show of solidarity with the broader community affected by such legal battles, Carrone also announced a $500,000 Ether donation to support Roman Storm’s ongoing legal defence. “Roman’s legal defense matters because builders everywhere need to know they can push innovation forward and that the community will stand behind them when they do,” he stated.
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