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Tornado Cash Co-Founder Alexey Pertsev Denied Bail by Dutch Court

Pertsev sought bail to allow him to prepare for his appeal to the verdict in May which found him guilty of money laundering.

Updated Jul 15, 2024, 7:03 p.m. Published Jul 15, 2024, 10:07 a.m.
16:9 Free Alex Pertsev poster spotted outside the courthouse (Jack Schickler/CoinDesk)
16:9 Free Alex Pertsev poster spotted outside the courthouse (Jack Schickler/CoinDesk)
  • Alexey Pertsev was denied bail by a Dutch court on Friday, according to DLNews.
  • Pertsev's lawyers were seeking bail to allow the Russian to prepare for his appeals process

Alexey Pertsev, the co-founder and developer behind Tornado Cash, was denied bail by a Dutch court on Friday, according to DLNews.

Pertsev's lawyers were seeking bail to allow the Russian to prepare for his appeals process but the court said "that continuing his detention does not obstruct his possibility to prepare his defense,” Keith Cheng, Pertsev's lawyers said according to the report.

Pertsev was found guilty of money laundering by a Dutch judge at s-Hertogenbosch court in May and handed 64 month prison time by the court. The verdict sent shock waves within the community leaving several outraged. The case has been described as the most pivotal legal case in crypto.

Last month, Pertsev was denied digital facilities like a computer despite an 18 point presentation by Cheng to reflect that the case revolves around technical aspects of DeFi. Pertsev is a crucial source of knowledge for the kind of preparation that "cannot be done by a lawyer," Cheng told DLNews.

Ameen Soleimani, Pertsev's friend who has started JusticeDao to help coordinate the legal defense in the Tornado Cash cases, wrote on X that "even if his appeal attempt is accepted, he will have to sit in prison for the next year or so while his defense lawyers prepare for the appeal hearing."

Read More: Crypto Community Voices Outrage at Tornado Cash Developer Verdict


Amitoj Singh

Amitoj Singh is a CoinDesk reporter focusing on regulation and the politics shaping the future of finance. He also presents shows for CoinDesk TV on occasion. He has previously contributed to various news organizations such as CNN, Al Jazeera, Business Insider and SBS Australia. Previously, he was Principal Anchor and News Editor at NDTV (New Delhi Television Ltd.), the go-to news network for Indians globally. Amitoj owns a marginal amount of Bitcoin and Ether below CoinDesk's disclosure threshold of $1,000.

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