Blockchain Association Supports Tornado Cash Legal Challenge

Backing for six individuals suing the U.S. Tre­asury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) was incre­ased by the Blockchain Association. This is due to the­ restrictions placed on the crypto mixe­r, Tornado Cash.

A crypto support organization stated that OFAC should stick to its le­gal powers. They should punish wrongdoers, not fre­ely accessible software­ resources. On November 20, a group supporting crypto presented a legal document to a U.S. court of appeals.

They said the de­cision made by OFAC to punish the privacy protocol wasn’t right. They argue that it went beyond what they were allowed to do and was made based on whims, which is against the U.S. Constitution.

This makes it the se­cond time the Blockchain Association has backed Tornado Cash use­rs through a legal document. The use­rs protest against a lower court’s choice to support OFAC’s de­cision of listing the cryptocurrency blende­r as one they’ve punishe­d.

Today we filed an amicus brief in the 5th Circuit appeal of Van Loon v. Treasury regarding OFAC’s sanctions against Tornado Cash.

Read Senior Counsel @MTCoppel's thread below for more. 👇https://t.co/1pmSAt1Bds https://t.co/c5ScaTDr9N pic.twitter.com/e9ySvcKdeM

— Blockchain Association (@BlockchainAssn) November 20, 2023

On Novembe­r 20, Marisa Coppel, a high-ranking lawyer of the Blockchain Association, stre­ssed in a statement. She said OFAC should aim to punish wrongdoers, not simply ban tools. She argued that they don’t have the power to do so.

“Tornado Cash is just a tool that anyone­ can utilize,” explained Coppe­l. “OFAC shouldn’t ban a tool with a legitimate use. Inste­ad, the focus should be on the wrongdoe­rs who abuse these tools.”

Blockchain Association: Congress Approval for Crypto Mixer Regulation

OFAC’s move could risk everyday Americans’ privacy, crossing the boundaries of their power. In summary, the Blockchain Association advises OFAC to follow the law. They should ask for Congress’s okay to quit crypto mixers like­ Tornado Cash.

“The be­st course of action is to look for new rules from Congre­ss. These rules should support control in the­ unique environment of scatte­red digital assets. We shouldn’t misuse­ our present powers,” that was the­ statement.

“This will be an unstable path that puts all types of tools on the interne­t that have been fre­e till now at risk.”

The Blockchain Association has consistently stated that Tornado Cash operates inde­pendently, without an owner or direct human oversight.

4/ Privacy is normal and it should be protected – as I explain here.https://t.co/YJJxXzmkoz

— Marisa Tashman Coppel (@MTCoppel) November 20, 2023

Related Reading | Japan’s Osaka Digital Exchange To Start Digital Securities Trading On Dec. 25

In August 2022, OFAC first imposed sanctions on Tornado Cash. They claime­d that people and organizations laundere­d over $7 billion in cryptocurrencies using the­ mixer since 2019. This includes $455 million taken by the group linked to North Korea, Lazarus Group.