A Manhattan federal jury on 6 Aug. delivered a partial verdict in the trial of Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm, convicting him of conspiring to operate an unlicensed money-transmitting business. The decision came after Judge Katherine Polk Failla issued an “Allen charge” urging jurors to continue deliberations when they reported an impasse earlier in the day.
The panel could not reach unanimity on two more serious counts—conspiracy to launder money and conspiracy to violate U.S. sanctions—leading the court to declare a mistrial on those charges. Prosecutors indicated they may seek a retrial on the unresolved counts.
Prosecutors alleged Storm’s cryptocurrency “mixer” facilitated more than $1 billion in illicit transactions, including funds linked to North Korean hackers. The sole conviction, under 18 U.S.C. § 1960, carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years, far below the 45 years Storm would have faced had he been found guilty on all counts.
Following the verdict, the government asked that Storm be remanded, citing what it called flight-risk factors, but Judge Failla allowed him to remain free on bond pending sentencing. A hearing date has not yet been set.
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