Roman Storm’s Tornado Cash Retrial Pushed to April 2027
Judge Katherine Polk Failla has set Roman Storm's retrial for April 2027, citing a pending acquittal motion and related requests for a continuance.
The update
U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla has rescheduled the retrial of Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm to April 26, 2027. The delay, which pushes the proceedings back by more than six months, follows Storm’s request for additional time while his motion for acquittal remains under review. Prosecutors had initially sought an October 2026 start date for the retrial on the two charges the jury previously deadlocked on: conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to violate U.S. sanctions.
Why it matters
This is the first retrial of a DeFi protocol developer, making it a landmark test case for how U.S. courts interpret the legal status of privacy tools. Storm was convicted in August 2025 of conspiring to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, but the split jury on the other two counts means the government is retrying him. The indefinite postponement creates significant uncertainty for the crypto industry.
What to watch
Watch for the court’s ruling on Storm’s acquittal motion, which could overturn the conviction on the two retried charges: conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to violate U.S. sanctions. If granted, it could overturn the conviction entirely. If denied, the retrial will proceed in April 2027, setting a potential timeline for a landmark decision on digital asset privacy tools.
Sources
- decrypt.co — Retrial date, judge, acquittal motion status, and prosecution's original request.
- cointelegraph.com — Defense's request for delay, specific charges being retried, and Storm's public comments.