Alexey Pertsev, a key developer behind the Tornado Cash cryptocurrency platform, will be released from custody next week, just in time to celebrate his birthday at home. Pertsev, who was apprehended by Dutch authorities in August on money laundering allegations, has been granted release pending trial by a Netherlands court.
Pertsev’s wife, Ksenia Malik, expressed her relief in a statement to The Block, saying that Alexey would be under house arrest, monitored with an ankle bracelet, but at least he would be at home. The Tornado Cash developer was arrested in Amsterdam on August 10, only two days after the US government designated the platform and 44 affiliated Ethereum and USDC wallets as Specially Designated Nationals.
The US Treasury accused Tornado Cash of enabling money laundering by failing to establish proper controls to prevent malicious cyber actors from exploiting its services. The platform’s crypto mixing feature allows users to obscure their transactions, a feature that has drawn scrutiny from authorities. A further hearing in the case is scheduled for May 24, according to Malik.