A judge presiding over the criminal trial of Roman Storm, co-founder of Tornado Cash, has indicated she may not allow the mention of US Treasury sanctions against the cryptocurrency mixing service. Judge Katherine Failla stated that she is inclined to exclude references to the 2022 sanctions since they were withdrawn in March following a federal court decision. The sanctions had previously designated addresses linked to Tornado Cash as Specially Designated Nationals by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). While the mention of the sanctions may be barred, the judge showed willingness to permit discussions regarding North Korea and the Lazarus Group during the prosecution's case against Storm. This trial has garnered significant attention, with notable figures from the crypto industry advocating for the charges to be dropped, arguing that creating code is not a crime. The outcome of this trial could have substantial implications for the cryptocurrency landscape, drawing comparisons to recent high-profile legal cases within the industry.

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