Twister Money Co-Founder Retains Testimony Plans Unclear Forward of Trial

Roman Storm, one of many co-founders and builders behind the cryptocurrency mixing service Twister Money, appeared in a video interview as his US legal trial is anticipated to start in lower than two weeks.

In an interview launched Wednesday by Crypto In America, Storm mentioned his authorized workforce meant to handle at trial the allegations that he had personally profited from illicit funds by means of his function at Twister Money.

Nonetheless, he declined to say whether or not he would testify in his personal protection over prices of cash laundering, conspiracy to function an unlicensed cash transmitter, and conspiracy to violate US sanctions.

“That is the choice that we are going to make,” mentioned Storm on taking the stand in courtroom. “I don’t have a 100% reply proper now. I could or could not.”

US authorities indicted Storm in 2023, roughly a 12 months after the Treasury Division’s Workplace of Overseas Belongings Management sanctioned addresses related to Twister Money. The federal government company mentioned the blending service had facilitated cash laundering with crypto stolen by North Korea-based hackers, the Lazarus Group.

Roman Semenov, one of many different Twister Money builders named in the identical indictment as Storm, was nonetheless at giant on the time of publication. Nonetheless, Alexey Pertsev, one other co-founder and developer, was discovered responsible of cash laundering within the Netherlands and sentenced to greater than 5 years in jail.

Associated: Ethereum Basis pledges $500K to Roman Storm’s protection

Life whereas awaiting trial for Storm

Since his arrest, Storm has obtained an outpouring of help from many individuals within the crypto business, decrying his indictment as an assault on builders and privateness.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, Paradigm founder Matt Huang, and the Ethereum Basis have all contributed hundreds of {dollars} to Storm’s authorized fund, which was reported to have greater than $750,000 as of June 26.

“I’ve bought loads of psychological injury from this case, clearly,” mentioned Storm. “It’s so damaging […] you believed in a single factor, you believed that there’s a [sic] frequent sense, there’s a misunderstanding, and also you’re getting this [sic] harsh issues occurring in your life. I might undoubtedly have to recuperate myself for a while to get again into what I really like.”