Roman Storm, a key developer behind cryptocurrency mixer Twister Money, pleaded not responsible to a number of legal expenses, Internal Metropolis Press stated on Sept. 6.
That report signifies that Storm pleaded not responsible to expenses contained inside an earlier indictment. These expenses, which had been first introduced on Aug. 23, embody conspiracy to commit cash laundering, conspiracy to commit sanctions violations, and conspiracy to function an unlicensed money-transmitting enterprise.
Following Storm’s plea, prosecutors asserted that Storm, with Twister Money, aided the North Korean state hacking group Lazarus Group. As a coin mixer, Twister Money had official privateness functions however might have been used to launder cash as nicely.
Through the proceedings, Prosecutors said that they plan to acquire discovery supplies from GitHub and stated that they’ve “a number of terabytes” of Russian-language information from Dutch authorities. Prosecutors additionally mentioned the dealing with of labeled supplies with the decide. Prosecutors acknowledged that one other accused particular person — recognized to be Roman Semenov based mostly on previous reviews — stays a fugitive outdoors of the U.S.
Lastly, prosecutors agreed to launch Storm on a $2 million bond secured by his Washington residence by Sept. 15. Prosecutors stated that they’ve seized Storm’s Russian passport and that his motion is restricted to elements of the USA.
Proceedings counsel {that a} trial will happen on Nov. 30.
Connections to different crypto circumstances
Internal Metropolis Press famous connections to different high-profile cryptocurrency circumstances. It noticed that Assistant U.S. Legal professional Thane Rehn, who’s a prosecutor within the case at hand, can also be a prosecutor within the case in opposition to former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried.
Internal Metropolis Press additional famous that Storm’s lawyer is Brian Klein. Klein beforehand represented Virgil Griffith, an Ethereum developer who was charged and located responsible of sanctions violations involving North Korea.
The entire above circumstances are or had been dealt with by the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace for the Southern District of New York — a division of the Division of Justice (DOJ) that’s at the moment extremely concerned in prosecuting crypto-related crimes.
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