Alexey Pertsev, developer of Tornado Cash, is to be released from prison on February 7, 2025, as a Dutch court has decided to suspend his pretrial detention.

This decision comes as Pertsev plans to appeal against his conviction for money laundering, which is part of a significant ongoing discussion about the legal obligations of open-source developers in the cryptocurrency domain.

In a statement on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Pertsev acknowledged his impending release but reminded followers that it does not equate to complete freedom, as he will still have to wear an electronic monitoring device as a condition of his release.

“A Dutch court suspended my pretrial detention under the condition of electronic monitoring. This will give me a chance to work on my appeal and fight for justice,” he stated.

Pertsev’s Legal Journey

Pertsev has been in custody since August 2022 after his arrest in the Netherlands for allegedly aiding illicit financial activities through Tornado Cash, a cryptocurrency mixing platform. During the trial, Pertsev argued his inability to control third-party usage of the Tornado Cash service, but this defense was dismissed by the court, which held him and his co-founders responsible for not implementing adequate preventive measures against illegal use.

In May 2023, Pertsev was sentenced to five years and four months in prison for money laundering, with his legal representatives filing for an appeal almost immediately. His request for bail was denied multiple times, most recently in July 2023. With this latest ruling, Pertsev will now have the opportunity to work on his defense from outside prison.

Pertsev’s situation and the prosecution of Tornado Cash’s founders continue to be a controversial topic within the crypto community, highlighting tensions surrounding the privacy of financial transactions. In related news, co-founders Roman Storm and Roman Semenov face charges related to over $1 billion laundered through Tornado Cash, with Semenov currently evading arrest and featured on the FBI’s most wanted list.

This case raises significant questions about the responsibilities of developers in the cryptocurrency sphere and the implications of legal actions against innovation in financial technology.