Tornado Cash Founder’s Defense Calls Key Ethereum Witnesses as Trial Resumes

In Brief:

Prosecution rests after 8 days in Roman Storm’s criminal trial.

Defense begins rebuttal, citing Tornado Cash’s intended privacy use.

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The trial of Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm entered a new phase Thursday as the prosecution officially rested its case following eight days of witness testimony. The defense immediately began presenting its side, with Ethereum developer Preston Van Loon taking the stand as the first witness.

Van Loon emphasized that Tornado Cash was designed to enhance user privacy and protect transaction data, arguing that the tool’s intent was not criminal, even though it has been exploited by malicious actors.

Over the next three days, Storm’s legal team is expected to call multiple expert witnesses to counter the U.S. government's accusations that he aided and promoted money laundering through the privacy protocol.

The trial, which has drawn global attention, raises high-stakes questions about developer liability in open-source blockchain projects, especially when tools are misused.

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