Vitalik Buterin believes developers like Roman Storm, Alexey Pertsev and Virgil Griffith also deserves pardon.
Ethereum’s co-founder, Vitalik Buterin, is speaking out for the release of well-known developers in the crypto world under lockup. Buterin and several others have called for the release of Ethereum developer Virgil Griffith and Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm.
The plea comes as the crypto community reflects on Ross Ulbricht’s recent pardon by President Donald Trump. Ulbricht’s release has sparked renewed conversations about justice and ties in the digital currency space.
Silk Road Creator Release Sparks Vitalik’s Call for Justice
In a Wednesday post on X, Vitalik Buterin wrote “No man left behind.” This was a call for President Trump to intervene in the release of Roman Storm and Alexey Pertsev, co-founders of Tornado Cash.
No man left behind.@rstormsf and @alex_pertsev next.
Tornado Cash itself won an important case today:https://t.co/ceF9IKlllC https://t.co/zg69SmZY8K
— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) January 22, 2025
His statement echoed the desire for justice and support for his colleagues facing legal battles. Buterin’s words highlighted the urgency of their situation and the need for action. Vitalik Buterin’s appeal came just hours after President Trump signed an executive order pardoning Ross Ulbricht.
Ulbricht received double life sentences for creating the infamous Silk Road darknet marketplace. Many in the crypto space had long called for his release. Coinspeaker reported that the pardon fulfilled a promise made during Trump’s election campaign.
The timing of the pardon added weight to Buterin’s message. It also renewed attention on the challenges faced by individuals in the crypto community.
The Legal Cases Against Tornado Cash, Griffith and Storm
Virgil Griffith’s case gained attention after he was sentenced to 56 months in prison in 2021. He pleaded guilty to violating US sanctions after he traveled to North Korea in 2019. Griffith had been offering advice on how crypto could be used to bypass sanctions, which led to his arrest and conviction.
Roman Storm’s case involved his role in Tornado Cash, a decentralized crypto mixer. In 2023, he was charged with money laundering and sanctions violations for running the platform. Storm has defended himself, arguing that his First Amendment rights were violated.
His trial was delayed several times, leading him to vent his frustration on social media, tagging figures like Elon Musk and Donald Trump.
Similarly, Tornado Cash has faced intense scrutiny from US regulators for years. In 2022, the US Treasury Department sanctioned the platform, claiming that it served as a venue to launder money and evade sanctions. Many in the crypto world disagreed, saying Tornado Cash is just software and cannot be treated like a person or entity.
The Tornado Cash Liberation
Surprisingly, a US appeals court ruled in November 2023 that the US Treasury had overstepped its authority when it sanctioned the platform. Recently, a Texas court ordered that the sanctions be reversed, marking a big win for the crypto community.
The cases of Virgil Griffith and Roman Storm highlight the crypto world’s struggles with freedom, regulation, and fairness. Ulbricht’s pardon sparked reactions, including one from a community member wishing Binance co-founder Changpeng ‘CZ’ Zhao a pardon too.
🚨 BREAKING 🚨
🇺🇸 U.S Court lifted OFAC sanctions
on Tornado Cash. This is a Massive
win for privacy tokens.Crypto is winning, thanks to TRUMP. pic.twitter.com/lQjarWT98V
— Ash Crypto (@Ashcryptoreal) January 22, 2025
CZ was forced to step down as Binance CEO in 2023. The US authorities charged the exchange with violating securities laws and anti-money laundering regulations. As a result, the Binance founder has faced intense scrutiny.
The trading platform was hit with a multi-billion-dollar fine, and CZ received a lifetime ban from holding leadership roles within the company. In 2024, he served a brief prison sentence in the US, The threat of additional legal action still hangs over him.
next