US Prosecutors Rebuff Tornado Cash Co-Founder's Defense as Retrial Push Continues

US prosecutors have pushed back against the defense of Roman Storm, co-founder of Tornado Cash, in their ongoing efforts to schedule a retrial. In a letter filed on Tuesday, US Attorney Jay Clayton rejected Storm's arguments for dismissal, citing a lack of applicability in a 2026 Supreme Court case. The prosecution argues that the Cox Communications case does not offer any help to Storm's defense due to the vastly different circumstances involved.

Storm was charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and sanctions violations after Tornado Cash was sanctioned by the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in August 2022.

The jury found him guilty on one count, but was unable to reach a unanimous decision on two other charges. As a result, Storm is seeking a retrial on those counts, which prosecutors are pushing for to take place between October 5 and 12 this year. The prosecution has argued that Storm's use of the crypto mixer was merely 'window dressing' and intended to distract law enforcement, rather than an effective anti-money laundering measure.