Crypto Storm Verdict: US v Roman Storm Part 2

By: Matthew Russell Lee

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

With Roman Storm on trial for his crypto mixer Tornado Cash, I spent July 2025 digging in different directions. I filed a motion to unseal the Storm trial transcript, the day I heard and reported the prosecutors threatening to bring low some from Dragonfly, only to have it disappear behind redaction.

My motion was docketed, but responded due August 19, after the trial.

Did the Administration in Washington, so recently bragging about the passage of the GENIUS Act, sign off on these threats? Or was it another disconnect, another failure to follow through as so far on UN reform?

The day of Storm's closing arguments, I ran to another courtroom where the duo behind Samourai Wallet both pled guilty, taking a plea deal of five years in prison rather than waiting for the jury verdict in the Tornado Cash case...

A question that has hung over this trial, from the big picture to the nitty gritty, is the degree to which the prosecutors are in line with the new policies on crypto of the Administration in Washington. Roman Storm did a pre-trial podcast on just this - it didn’t result in the case being dropped - and midday through, the reporting on threats of possible prosecution made to venture capital firm employees gave rise to fast denials - and sealing of the transcript. Did the Samourai duo take the 5 year deal with an eye on some later action by the Administration? How to square the July 30 government closing with statements from Washington?

And, after the mixed verdict, how to square the prosecutors' attempt to put Storm in jail after mistrial on two of three counts? Combine this 1 out of 3 with Sean Combs' 2 out of 5 and it's 3 out of 8. What cases will they bring next? Inner City Press will be here -
Watch this series.