In a ruling from the court, Alexey Pertsev – developer of crypto mixer Tornado Cash and currently detained in the Netherlands – will be held in jail until an upcoming April 21 hearing. This decision ensures that he remains incarcerated for now, as his fate is still yet to be decided.
Alexey Pertsev, Developer of Tornado Cash Accused of Helping North Korean Hackers Launder Money
On May 24, the East Brabant court in Holland declared that a review of the case against Alexey Pertsev would be held. In August of last year, Dutch law enforcement apprehended him due to allegations from the US Treasury Department regarding Tornado Cash – a crypto mixer protocol that was ascribed to facilitating money laundering activities linked to North Korea and Russia.
The Dutch Financial Information and Investigation Service are convinced that the money funneling through the protocol belongs to a hacker gang related to North Korea, known as the Lazarus Group. Consequently, Alexey Pertsev‘s plea was rejected for the third time in November after being arrested since August, showcasing how firm this decision stands.
Sanctions on Tornado Cash Caused Concern in the Cryptocurrency World
The crypto industry was amidst a huge crisis when Alexey Pertsev was arrested in 2022. Not only did this sanction shock those close to him, but it also sparked fear and anxiety throughout the entire cryptocurrency world.
The US Treasury Department recently declared sanctions against the crypto mixer protocol, Tornado Cash. Crypto mixers exist to prevent any monitoring of cryptocurrency transfers — a decision that Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin vocally opposed as he had personally used Tornado Cash to donate aid during Ukraine’s war efforts.
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