DOJ Is Considering Charging Crypto VC Firm Dragonfly in Connection With Tornado Cash
The U.S. Department of Justice is contemplating charges against Dragonfly Capital Partners’ Tom Schmidt and several colleagues due to their investment in the Tornado Cash development team. This information was disclosed during the criminal trial of Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm. Prosecutors highlighted that Dragonfly had invested in Pepper Sec, the company owned by the Tornado Cash developers, in 2020. Dragonfly co-founder Haseeb Qureshi expressed confidence in their legal compliance and commitment to defend against what he described as absurd charges. Schmidt’s involvement includes having his devices seized by authorities. Tornado Cash is an Ethereum-based mixer designed to anonymize crypto transaction flows. The ongoing trial centers around questions of liability for software developers regarding user activities on their platforms, a pivotal topic in the crypto community. Storm potentially faces significant prison time for operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business, raising crucial concerns over developers' responsibilities.
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