The Arbitrum Community Votes to Fund Legal Defense for Tornado Cash Team
The Arbitrum blockchain community has initiated a vote to fund the legal defense of the Tornado Cash cryptocurrency mixer team. The proposal aims to provide financial support to Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm and developer Alexey Pertsev, who have been facing legal troubles.
“No one shall be subject to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honor and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.”
Arbitrum community
The main objective of this initiative is two-fold: to ensure strong legal protections for individuals and safeguard developers’ rights to contribute to the deployment of unauthorized open-source software. Additionally, it aims to protect the future of privacy-preserving technologies and uphold the core principles of the crypto industry, including innovation, decentralization, and individual sovereignty.
Tornado Cash’s Previous Fundraising Efforts and Legal Troubles
In February, crowdfunding platform GoFundMe canceled a fundraiser aimed at covering Tornado Cash’s legal costs. The cancellation was based on a violation of GoFundMe’s terms of service, which prohibits fundraising activities that could potentially harm the platform, its employees, or users. Despite $30,000 being raised on GoFundMe, all contributed assets were eventually returned to donors.
In August 2022, Tornado Cash found itself on the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions list due to its involvement in money laundering activities. U.S. authorities claim that over $7 billion has been laundered through the mixer since its inception, with the North Korean hacker group Lazarus actively utilizing it. As a result, developer Alexey Pertsev was arrested in Amsterdam on August 12, 2022, on suspicion of laundering criminal proceeds using Tornado Cash.
The Importance of Supporting Tornado Cash’s Legal Defense
By providing financial support for Tornado Cash’s legal defense, the Arbitrum community aims to achieve several significant outcomes:
- Protecting Privacy: Tornado Cash is recognized as a beacon of privacy and security within the crypto industry. By defending its team, the community ensures that users have a secure method for conducting private transactions on the Ethereum blockchain.
- Preserving Innovation: Supporting the legal defense of Tornado Cash contributes to protecting the future of privacy-preserving technologies. This enables developers to continue innovating in the space without fear of arbitrary interference or attacks on their reputation.
- Fostering Decentralization: The broader principles of the crypto industry, such as decentralization, are upheld through this initiative. By defending developers’ rights to contribute to open-source software deployment, the community promotes a decentralized ecosystem where individual sovereignty is respected.
The Future of Privacy-Preserving Technologies
Tornado Cash’s legal defense is crucial not only for its team but also for the wider adoption and acceptance of privacy-preserving technologies within the crypto industry. By supporting this initiative, you contribute to:
- Ensuring User Security: With strong legal protections in place, users can confidently utilize privacy-preserving technologies like Tornado Cash without fear of compromising their personal information.
- Encouraging Innovation: By defending developers who create privacy-enhancing tools, we foster an environment that encourages innovation and pushes the boundaries of what is possible in terms of user privacy and security.
- Promoting Financial Freedom: Privacy-preserving technologies are essential for upholding individual sovereignty and protecting financial freedom. By defending Tornado Cash, we safeguard these fundamental principles.
Hot Take: Stand Up for Privacy and Innovation
As a member of the crypto community, it is crucial to stand up for privacy, innovation, and the principles that underpin the industry. By supporting the legal defense of Tornado Cash, you play a vital role in:
- Protecting Privacy: Privacy is a fundamental human right, and by defending Tornado Cash, you contribute to preserving this right within the crypto landscape.
- Upholding Innovation: Innovation drives progress in the crypto industry. By supporting developers like those behind Tornado Cash, you foster an environment that encourages groundbreaking advancements.
- Empowering Individuals: Individual sovereignty is at the core of the crypto movement. By supporting initiatives that defend developers’ rights and protect user privacy, you empower individuals to take control of their financial lives.
Together, let’s ensure that privacy-preserving technologies continue to thrive, innovation flourishes, and individual freedom remains at the forefront of the crypto industry.
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