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- Roman Storm, co-founder of Twister Money, has contested federal prices in Fresh York
- Storm faces counts of conspiracy when it comes to money laundering and running an unlicensed commercial
- His protection rests on the idea of freedom of speech
Roman Storm, the developer and co-founder of sanctioned mixing carrier Twister Money, is contesting prices introduced towards him by federal prosecutors within the Southern District of Fresh York. Storm, indicted final August alongside Roman Semenov and Alexey Pertsev, faces counts of conspiracy connected to money laundering and running an unlicensed money-transmitting commercial. Storm’s protection team filed a motion to dismiss the costs, arguing that the indictment is “fatally wrong” and violates First Modification rights.
Storm Knew he changed into “Serving to Hackers and Fraudsters”
Charges were unsealed towards Semenov and Storm final Sugust, encompassing conspiracy to commit money laundering, sanctions violations, and performance an unlicensed money-transmitting commercial.
US lawyer Damian Williams talked about that Storm and Semenov “knew that they were helping hackers and fraudsters conceal the fruits of their crimes,” which makes the doable punishment the complete extra extreme within the event that they were found responsible.
Indictments are “Fatally Unsuitable”
Storm pleaded no longer responsible at a Fresh York District Court docket the month after his arrest and changed into released on a $2 million bond alongside with his passport seized. His attorneys enjoy followed up this plea with a submitting to dismiss the case entirely, arguing that the indictment is “fatally wrong” and violates First Modification rights. They contend that writing code, akin to that extinct in Twister Money, constitutes safe speech, as changed into on the delivery considered within the Daniel Bernstein case.
The motion asserts that Storm can no longer be held to blame for any illicit exercise of the instrument as there may perhaps be now not any evidence he conspired with substandard actors.
Storm’s attorneys also plot back the characterization of Twister Money as a money-transmitting commercial, highlighting that customers retained sustain watch over of their cash and did now not pay charges to Twister Money. They argue that Storm and his colleagues relinquished sustain watch over over Twister’s neat contracts in 2020, months earlier than the alleged prison habits.
