Alexey Pertsev will be released from prison today under electronic monitoring as he continues to appeal his money laundering conviction linked to Tornado Cash.
His release comes after months of unsuccessful bail requests and growing concerns over how the legal system treats privacy-focused crypto developers.
Pertsev Plans on Focusing on His Appeal
Pertsev confirmed the news in a February 6 post on X:
“Dear Friends, on Friday 7 February at 10 am I will be free! It is not real freedom, but it is better than prison,” it said.
He explained that a Dutch court had suspended his pretrial detention under electronic monitoring. The Tornado Cash developer added that this would allow him to focus on his appeal and fight for justice.
In August 2022, the U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on the crypto mixer, accusing it of enabling the laundering of over $7 billion since 2019.
Pertsev was later arrested in the Netherlands that same month. He was charged with money laundering and facilitating illicit financial transactions through the platform. In May 2024, a Dutch court found him guilty and sentenced him to 64 months in prison.
Following his arrest, the Russian national started actively appealing his conviction and asking for bail. Despite multiple attempts, his requests were denied. His defense maintains that he created open-source software and should not be criminalized for its misuse.
Debate Over Developer Liability
The case has fueled debate over financial privacy and whether software developers should be held liable for how their code is used. Pertsev’s case gained momentum after a U.S. federal appeals court ruled in November 2024 that sanctions against Tornado Cash were unlawful. A January 21 court filing confirmed that the district court judgment had been overturned and sent back for further review.
The decision boosted arguments from privacy advocates who claim that developers should not be punished for actions beyond their control.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has voiced concern over Pertsev’s prosecution, calling it a troubling precedent for developers. Speaking at a Berlin conference last year, he said, “The situation with Alexey is quite unfortunate.” He added that many believed building software was a legitimate and legal way to protect privacy.
Buterin has also made several ETH donations to the 31-year-old’s legal fund through the decentralized fundraising platform Juicebox.
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