Vitalik Buterin Advocates for Lighter Sentence for Tornado Cash Developer Roman Storm
Written by Ohris M. Greyoon, Blockchain & Crypto Expert
Source: Coinmarketcap
Updated: Jan 09 2026- Call for Leniency: Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has urged for a lighter sentence for Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm, arguing that prosecuting software creation could negatively impact the creative freedom of the entire developer community.
- Legal Defense Support: Storm's legal defense, backed by Buterin and the Ethereum Foundation, raised over $6.3 million, demonstrating the community's commitment to protecting open-source software development.
- Importance of Privacy Tools: Buterin emphasized the necessity of privacy-preserving software like Tornado Cash in combating data exploitation and cybercrime, asserting that its lawful uses should be protected to prevent criminalizing software development.
- Industry Attention: Storm's case has garnered significant attention within the developer community, with many viewing it as a litmus test for defining responsibility in open-source code, which could influence the legal framework for future software development.
About the author
Ohris M. Greyoon
Ohris M. Greyoon holds a Master’s in Computer Science from MIT and has 10 years of experience in blockchain technology and cryptocurrency markets. A pioneer in decentralized finance (DeFi) analysis, he leads Intellectia’s Crypto News, offering cutting-edge insights into digital assets.
