A few of Storm’s instantaneous messages that his protection crew needed to make use of at trial.
However Storm fought again. In a trial in Manhattan over the previous couple of weeks, his protection crew has launched textual content messages exhibiting that Storm was glad to have the North Koreans recognized. As he put it, “I’m glad these f*ckers are detected.” They contend that Storm tried to assist the crypto change get well its cash by pointing them to blockchain evaluation instruments; he couldn’t do extra as a result of it merely wasn’t attainable with the Twister system, which was constructed for anonymity. As for regulatory compliance, Storm’s protection launched chats through which he talked about ensuring Twister Money was “authorized” in order that “folks wouldn’t suppose that it’s some form of damned mixer. In order that the fame could be clear.”
(Storm apparently doesn’t see Twister as a “mixer” due to its technical infrastructure and using sensible contracts, which create a “non-custodial” system through which Twister itself doesn’t technically settle for or management the cash. Additionally, as a result of Twister would not promote on the darkish net, as did the Helix mixer, which was shut down just a few years in the past.)
Storm’s enterprise capitalist backers additionally assured him at one level that, of their view, Twister was working legally.
Combined verdict
The trial wrapped up final week, and the jury in Storm’s case has deliberated for a number of days, struggling to succeed in a consensus on the principle costs. In the present day, they introduced that they had been deadlocked on the 2 largest—cash laundering and violating sanctions on North Korea. (Prosecutors will resolve later in the event that they plan to re-try Storm on these costs.)
However they did discover Storm responsible on a lesser cost of working an unlicensed cash transmitting enterprise. He might be sentenced quickly and is out on a $2 million bail till then.
The federal government continues to stress crypto mixers. The crew behind the mixer Samourai Pockets was arrested in 2024 and final week agreed to plead responsible to among the costs of their case.
However the Twister Money saga exhibits that, at the very least when the providers are constructed and run and marketed in a sure approach, juries aren’t all the time satisfied about maximal authorities claims.
