Texas Court Rules Against Tornado Cash Sanctions
A Texas judge has determined that the sanctions imposed by the U.S. Treasury Department on Tornado Cash were unlawful. This ruling permanently prevents the Treasury from enforcing those sanctions.
Key Points:
- The U.S. Department of Justice is still moving forward with criminal proceedings against Tornado Cash’s developers.
- In March, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) removed Tornado Cash from its sanctions list following a previous court ruling.
In a recent ruling, District Judge Robert Pitman stated that the case concerning Tornado Cash remains relevant. He noted that OFAC had unlawful sanctions against the crypto mixing service and therefore cannot enforce them anymore. The ruling serves as a significant win for the crypto community and those advocating for fair regulation.
Meanwhile, the DOJ is pursuing criminal charges against Roman Storm and Roman Semenov, who have faced recent accusations of conspiracy related to money laundering and unregulated operations. In light of the evolving landscape of crypto enforcement, staff at the DOJ received new directives to reevaluate their prosecution strategies.
The judge’s decision also emphasizes concerns over future sanctions as OFAC was noted for potentially reconsidering their approach toward Tornado Cash, highlighting the ongoing debate surrounding regulatory authority in the crypto space.
