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U.S. Department of Justice to Retry Tornado Cash Co-Founder Roman Storm

U.S. Department of Justice to Retry Tornado Cash Co-Founder Roman Storm

The Department of Justice will retry Roman Storm on unresolved counts this fall, extending a closely watched case over developer liability and blockchain-related evidence in crypto enforcement.

Fact Check
Multiple reputable sources, including The Block and Fox Business journalist Eleanor Terrett, have reported that the U.S. Department of Justice is seeking a retrial for Roman Storm. The retrial is specifically linked to charges of money laundering and sanctions violations, following his previous legal proceedings in 2025. The reported date for the retrial is early October 2026.
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Summary

The U.S. Department of Justice will retry Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm this fall after prosecutors in the Southern District of New York failed to secure convictions on two unresolved counts in the first trial. The government said it will continue pursuing counts 1 and 3. The case remains focused on whether a third-party developer can be held criminally liable in connection with Tornado Cash and on the use of blockchain-related evidence. Storm had previously been convicted on a separate count of operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business, while the earlier jury deadlocked on the other charges.

Terms & Concepts
  • Tornado Cash: A privacy-focused protocol on the Ethereum blockchain designed to obscure the origin and destination of cryptocurrency transactions.
  • blockchain: A distributed digital ledger that records transactions across a network, creating a transparent and tamper-resistant transaction history.
  • Money-Transmitting Business: A financial service that transfers funds for others and in the U.S. is generally subject to registration and anti-money-laundering compliance rules.