Stop the Press! Tornado Cash Sanctions Gone, But Why Bother?

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So, guess what the United States Treasury Department decided to do? They’ve lifted the sanctions on Tornado Cash! 🎉 Yup, the very same crypto mixing tool that everyone was up in arms about for money laundering. I mean, who hasn’t thought, “Gosh, I really need to mix my crypto like I’m washing a load of whites!” 🤔

And let me tell you, over 100 Ethereum addresses are getting the boot from the Specially Designated Nationals List. I can hear the party horns blaring now! 🎊

US Lifts Tornado Cash Sanctions

On March 21, 2025, the US decided to lift the sanctions against this delightful little crypto mixer. Why? Oh, just some casual chit-chat about financial privacy, innovation, and how sanctions are, you know, kinda ineffective at dealing with bad guys. Tornado Cash apparently helped the notorious Lazarus Group, a North Korean hacking gang that really knows how to throw a party — $1.4 billion drained from Bybit like it was a cheap bottle of wine. 🍷 But don’t worry, the Trump administration is still keen on chasing after money laundering. It’s like catching a cold — it just won’t go away!

“JUST IN: US Government lifts Tornado Cash sanctions and ban.”

This whole situation has sparked a debate on balancing financial privacy and innovation while keeping an eye on the naughty folks. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent chimed in, saying,

“Digital assets present enormous opportunities for innovation and value creation for the American people.”

Translation: “Hey, look over there! Shiny new tech!” The sanctions previously meant no US citizen or anyone doing business here could touch Tornado Cash. But a federal appeals court decided that OFAC couldn’t sanction Tornado Cash’s smart contracts because, get this, they’re not the “property” of any foreign national. Who knew contracts had feelings? 🧐

The Treasury’s official statement? Oh, you know, just a vague worry about state-sponsored hackers getting cozy with your precious digital assets. The Kim regime, everyone’s favorite regime, is apparently leading the charge. 🥳

ETH Addresses Removed

In addition to all that chaos, over 100 Ethereum addresses are being yanked from the blacklist. But wait, there’s more! Roman Storm, one of Tornado Cash’s founders, still faces a criminal trial in July. So much for a clean slate! 🎭

Storm’s lawyers tried to get the court to reconsider the earlier dismissal of charges against him. Spoiler alert: it didn’t go well. Judge Katherine Polk Failla explained that the whole Tornado Cash sanction saga doesn’t change anything for the charges he allegedly conspired to violate. Meanwhile, Storm’s lawyer is just thrilled about the lifted sanctions, stating,

“Now, the SDNY prosecutors must similarly reconsider their unfortunate decision to charge our client and dismiss the case against him.”

In other words, “Please! It’s a party now! Let him go!” 🤷‍♂️

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2025-03-22 19:02