Developer Alexey Pertsev, associated with Tornado Cash, has filed an appeal with the s-Hertogenbosch court of appeal following a conviction for money laundering.
The appeal process is expected to last several months, though it’s uncertain if the appeal has been granted.
Pertsev, facing a 64-month prison term, may seek home confinement during the appeal trial.
Following the verdict, Pertsev was immediately taken into custody to begin serving the sentence.
The court concluded that Tornado Cash facilitated money laundering activities, leading to Pertsev’s conviction.
Pertsev was apprehended in the Netherlands in August 2022, coinciding with Tornado Cash’s blacklisting by the U.S. government.
The U.S. Treasury linked Tornado Cash to the North Korean hacking group Lazarus, which was implicated in major crypto thefts, including the $625 million Axie Infinity’s Ronin Network hack.
Roman Storm and Roman Semenov, also involved in Tornado Cash’s development, face allegations of money laundering and sanctions violations in the U.S.
Storm is set to stand trial in September, while Semenov remains at large.
Despite Storm’s motion to dismiss charges, the DOJ maintained that Tornado Cash operated as a mixer, comprising a website, user interface, smart contracts, and a network of “relayers.”
Democratic representatives proposed the US Blockchain Integrity Act to curb cryptocurrency mixers, aiming to deter illicit fund flow and promote transparency.
Amidst the crackdown, Bitcoin Fog founder Roman Sterlingov was convicted of money laundering and related charges.
Tornado Cash has been added to the U.S. Treasury’s Specially Designated Nationals list, prohibiting American usage of the mixer.