Tornado Cash Co-Founder Alexey Pertsev Denied Bail by Dutch Court

Alexey Pertsev, the co-founder and developer behind Tornado Cash, was denied bail by a Dutch court on Friday, according to DLNews.

Pertsev’s lawyers were seeking bail to allow the Russian to prepare for his appeals process but the court said “that continuing his detention does not obstruct his possibility to prepare his defense,” Keith Cheng, Pertsev’s lawyers said according to the report.

Pertsev was found guilty of money laundering by a Dutch judge at s-Hertogenbosch court in May and handed 64 month prison time by the court. The verdict sent shock waves within the community leaving several outraged. The case has been described as the most pivotal legal case in crypto.

Last month, Pertsev was denied digital facilities like a computer despite an 18 point presentation by Cheng to reflect that the case revolves around technical aspects of DeFi. Pertsev is a crucial source of knowledge for the kind of preparation that “cannot be done by a lawyer,” Cheng told DLNews.

Ameen Soleimani, Pertsev’s friend who has started JusticeDao to help coordinate the legal defense in the Tornado Cash cases, wrote on X that “even if his appeal attempt is accepted, he will have to sit in prison for the next year or so while his defense lawyers prepare for the appeal hearing.”

Read More: Crypto Community Voices Outrage at Tornado Cash Developer Verdict