Tornado Cash developer Alexey Pertsev sentenced to 64 months in prison in the Netherlands

The developer of the controversial mixer Tornado Cash, Alexey Pertsev, has been sentenced to more than five years in prison by a Dutch court for involvement in money laundering activities.

Russian Developer Sentenced for Money Laundering

The court issued a ruling on Tuesday, stating that Pertsev played a key role in facilitating money laundering through the Tornado Cash platform. The 31-year-old Russian national was immediately detained after the trial and will remain in custody in the area until being transferred to a permanent prison facility suitable for the nature of his crime.

Accused of Assisting North Korean Hackers

Pertsev was arrested in August 2022, shortly after Tornado Cash was blacklisted by the U.S. government for allegedly aiding a North Korean hacker group. This North Korean group is infamous for its involvement in a $625 million hack on the Ronin network of Axie Infinity, as well as other major cybercrimes. Prosecutors accused Pertsev of being aware of the improper source of funds being processed through the platform and charged him with habitual money laundering from July 2019 to August 2022.

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Mixer Lacked Anti-Laundering Mechanism

The court's decision highlights the serious consequences of facilitating illicit transactions. It specifically noted that Tornado Cash had no barriers in place for laundering assets, which formed the basis for the charges against Pertsev.

This sentencing could set a precedent for future legal actions against other developers of Tornado Cash. Co-developers Roman Storm and Roman Semenov are also under investigation in the U.S. for similar charges, with varying legal interpretations of individual responsibility in different jurisdictions. Storm is scheduled for trial in September, while Semenov remains at large.

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