Ethereum core developer Federico Carrone, also known as "Fede's intern," has donated $500,000 to Roman Storm's legal defense fund following his recent detention in Turkey. Carrone was detained for 24 hours after being accused by Turkey's Minister of Internal Affairs of assisting others in misusing Ethereum through a privacy protocol called Tutelo.
Carrone, an Argentinian blockchain developer, was released on Monday after a rally from the global crypto community. He believes the accusations are linked to his 2022 research paper examining user privacy on Ethereum and Tornado Cash. In the paper, Carrone assessed the level of privacy with Ethereum transactions and explored the capabilities of the Tutelo code. He maintains that his work was purely academic and that he never helped anyone engage in illegal activity.
Following his release, Carrone announced his $500,000 donation to Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm's legal defense. Storm was found guilty last week on a charge of operating an unlicensed money transmitter, with two other charges undecided by the jury. His legal team is reportedly preparing to appeal the guilty verdict. Carrone initially planned to donate a more modest $50,000 but decided to increase the amount "to take a clear position so everyone understands what [Lambda Class] stands for". Lambda Class is a tech venture studio and investment firm where Carrone published his research paper.
Carrone emphasized the importance of protecting innovators and fostering systems that allow their ideas to flourish. He stated, "Progress comes from defending our innovators; when we stop doing so, we halt the construction of the future". He also expressed his willingness to cooperate with Turkish authorities and even return to Turkey to clear his name once a resolution is reached.
The Ethereum Foundation has offered to match donations to Storm's legal fund up to $500,000. Carrone noted that the Ethereum Foundation will be matching his donation. The outcome of Storm's case has upset privacy and free speech advocates across the DeFi sector. Some have commented on Carrone's arrest and implied that Turkey's judicial system isn't up to scratch. Even members of the Solana ecosystem and the Catholic Church reportedly offered their assistance in securing his release.
