Alexey Pertsev was arrested last week in the Netherlands. The hitherto discreet developer is accused of having created Tornado Cash and thus facilitated money laundering on the platform. A decision that has created a tidal wave of indignation in the crypto community, which is currently campaigning to free him.
Crypto community outraged by arrest of Tornado Cash code creator
Alexey Pertsev’s wife, Ksenia Malik, as well as part of the crypto community, are outraged by the reasons for the imprisonment of the creator of Tornado Cash. The latter has indeed worked on the code underlying the cryptocurrency mixer, offering it as open source. They therefore argue that the subsequent uses that have been made – notably by criminals – are not the responsibility of Pertsev.
A sentiment shared by the 1inch Network, which yesterday called on the community to mobilise for the developer’s release:
1/ Is it really a crime to be an open-source blockchain developer nowadays ⁉️
Stand up for the right to build open-source software!
Help Alex Pertsev get out of jail!
Sign the petition: https://t.co/r5sdHaYKCNFreeAlex OpenSourceNotACrime DeFi
Why is it important⤵️ pic.twitter.com/CqqD4Ds8AQ
– 1inch Network (@1inch) August 18, 2022
“Is it really a crime to be an open source blockchain developer these days!”
A petition has been launched, as well as a demonstration. It will take place on 20 August in Amsterdam. The hashtag freealex has also been proposed on social networks.
Issues that go far beyond cryptocurrencies
The Tornado Cash case of course raises questions about the value of anonymity… But also about the work of developers. Can we accuse a developer of favouring money laundering when he has only offered open source code?
This could in any case set a dangerous precedent. Open source developers could be arrested because their code has been used by criminals. There have already been several examples of this interpretation. As we reported last week, the source code for Tornado Cash was removed from GitHub, and some developers had their accounts deleted:
My @GitHub account was just suspended
Is writing an open source code illegal now?
– Roman Semenov ️ (@semenov_roman_) August 8, 2022
The Tornado Cash case will therefore set important milestones for the entire ecosystem. Ksenia Malik has also confirmed to CoinTelegraph that she wants these issues to be relayed as widely as possible:
“We want to see the Tornado Cash case become a reality.
We want to promote this cause so that as many people as possible are aware of this arrest and why it is wrong. This is a serious issue, as all open source developers and others may be affected by this accusation. “
It is noted, however, that counter-arguments exist, and that these will also be considered. As Tornado Cash generates profits, it may be understandable that its operators indirectly benefit from the money laundering that takes place on the platform. Where do we draw the line then? This is the question that will be tackled by part of the crypto community in the coming months.
