The Ethereum Foundation has recently donated $1,25 million to support the legal defense of Tornado Cash developer Alexey Pertsev, who is facing money laundering charges in the Netherlands.
Alexey Pertsev, one of the core developers of Tornado Cash who was released from custody under electronic surveillance earlier this month, has received support from one of the most important organizations in the crypto ecosystem, the Ethereum Foundation.
Recently, this organization announced a $1,25 million donation to support his legal defense, as it prepares to appeal a money laundering conviction handed down by a Dutch court. The donation is just the latest sign of growing support from the crypto community, which sees this case as a key precedent for digital privacy and freedom of software development.
Pertsev was arrested in August 2022 after being accused of facilitating the laundering of over $1.200 billion through Tornado Cash. In May 2024, a Dutch court sentenced him to five years and four months in prison. Although he is currently on probation while preparing his appeal, his case has generated a significant impact in the crypto ecosystem, especially around the discussion on privacy and legal liability of decentralized technology developers.
PREPARE YOUR WALLETIn addition to the Ethereum Foundation donation, Pertsev has also received support from other entities, such as investment firm Paradigm and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), which have committed significant resources to his defense, highlighting the importance of this case for the future of blockchain privacy technologies.
The Ethereum Foundation defends the right to financial privacy
The Ethereum Foundation, a non-profit entity that supports the development of the Ethereum network, announced on February 26 that it would donate $1,25 million to fund Alexey Pertsev’s legal defense. This gesture not only reflects direct support for Pertsev, but also sends a clear message about the importance of privacy in the blockchain ecosystem.
In a release Posted on X, the Ethereum Foundation reported on its donation, sharing the site of support for Pertsev, which specifies that his only crime has been to build Tornado Cash, “a privacy-enhancing system that anyone can use, and does so without creating a backdoor to prevent “bad guys” from using it.”
The Ethereum Foundation shares the vision that financial privacy is a right for everyone and that writing code is not a crime. Its donation to Pertsev’s defense coincides with a critical moment in this legal battle, where the possibility of an appeal has raised hopes in his team and in the crypto community.
BUY ETHEREUMParadigm and EFF support Alexey Pertsev
Beyond the Ethereum Foundation, other key entities in the crypto ecosystem have joined forces to support Pertsev. Paradigm, one of the most prominent venture capital firms in the blockchain space, also contributed $1,25 million to his defense. This firm, known for investing in projects such as Uniswap and Aave, sees in this case an existential risk for the future of decentralized technologies.
Additionally, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), an organization dedicated to defending civil liberties in the digital realm, has filed an amicus brief, which is a type of legal document that offers expert perspective in a case, arguing that criminalizing Pertsev for developing Tornado Cash would set a dangerous precedent for software creators.
EFF argues that code itself is a form of protected speech and that criminalizing it could discourage innovation in privacy technologies.
Alongside these efforts, Roman Storm, another Tornado Cash developer, is also receiving financial support for his defense in the United States, where he faces similar charges. This solidarity reflects the importance that the crypto community places on privacy as a fundamental right.
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What is Tornado Cash?
Tornado Cash is a cryptocurrency mixing protocol that allows users to conceal the origin and destination of their funds. Although its primary purpose is to protect users' financial privacy, its use has also been linked to illicit activities, such as money laundering. In August 2022, the US Treasury Department sanctioned the protocol, accusing it of facilitating over $7.000 billion in illicit transactions.
However, in January 2025, these sanctions were repealed following a series of legal challenges. Despite this, Dutch authorities continued to prosecute Pertsev, arguing that Tornado Cash had been “designed for criminals.”
The case not only puts Pertsev’s freedom in jeopardy, but also questions the legal boundaries of decentralized technologies. If a precedent is set that holds developers accountable for misuse of their tools, it could have a devastating impact on projects like Uniswap, MetaMask, and other DeFi protocols that rely on privacy and decentralization.
INVITE AND WINThe Alexey Pertsev case thus represents a turning point in the fight for digital privacy and developer liability in the blockchain ecosystem. The Ethereum Foundation’s donation, along with the support of Paradigm and the EFF, underscores the importance of this case for the future of decentralized technologies.
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