**Trial Delayed Until April 2025**
**Expert Witness Dispute Emerges**
**Defense Contests Disclosure Mandate**
The trial of Roman Storm, one of the co-founders of the Tornado Cash platform, has been rescheduled to April 2025. This change, announced by Judge Katherine Polk Failla on November 1, pushes back the trial by four months from its original date set for December of this year.
Judge Failla explained that the postponement was necessary to allow both parties ample time to exchange information regarding the expert witnesses they plan to call during the proceedings. This development follows a month of escalating legal disputes between the defense and the prosecution, suggesting that the issues may take longer to resolve.
Storm’s legal team contends that Judge Failla’s decision poses significant hurdles to their defense strategy. On October 14, Brian Klein, an attorney from Waymaker LLP representing Storm, voiced his concerns, stating that the required disclosure of witness information could severely jeopardize Storm’s defense. He pointed out that such a requirement might “reveal his hand,” potentially undermining their planned approach.
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In addition, Storm’s attorneys are appealing the ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, seeking to overturn Judge Failla’s decision through a petition for mandamus. A hearing for this petition is set for November 12, with deliberations anticipated to take around two weeks.
The legal troubles for Roman Storm began with serious allegations from U.S. prosecutors, who claim he played a role in facilitating a $1 billion money laundering scheme linked to North Korea’s Lazarus Group. Storm faces three principal charges: conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to violate sanctions, and operating a money transmitting business without the necessary license.
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