Federico Carrone, an Ethereum core developer, was released on Monday after being detained by Turkish authorities for about 24 hours over his alleged links to cryptocurrency privacy tools.
Turkey’s Minister of Internal Affairs accused Carrone of “helping others misuse Ethereum” through his work on privacy protocols. Carrone believes the charges stem from a January 2022 research paper that he co-authored, examining user privacy on Ethereum and Tornado Cash. “We never helped anyone engage in illegal activity. It was purely research on mixers and their properties,” stated Carrone, who is known pseudonymously as Fede’s Intern.
Quick International Support From Well-wishers Secures The Release
The situation initially looked serious for Carrone, who said officials threatened to confiscate his phone and also deny him any contact with the outside world. However, well-wishers worldwide mobilized fast to ensure his freedom.
Supporters from the UAE, UK, United States, Europe, Argentina, and even the Catholic Church contacted senior Turkish officials. Members of the Solana blockchain ecosystem also assisted.
Carrone’s detention highlights mounting pressure on cryptocurrency developers working with privacy tools. Tornado Cash co-creators Alexey Pertsev and Roman Storm face similar legal battles, with Storm awaiting a verdict in a high-profile New York trial.
Legal experts caution that Storm’s case could set a dangerous precedent by lamenting the development of open-source privacy software. This could stifle innovation in decentralized finance and pose a serious threat to digital privacy rights.
Case Continues Despite Release, Setting a Wrong Precedent?
Turkish prosecutors will continue to pursue the case against Carrone. The developer expressed willingness to return to Turkey once legal preparations are complete, and his attorney will remain active in his defense.
“We still don’t have the full picture of what happened or why,” Carrone explained. “We will bring in the best team we can and resolve this. If needed, once things are sorted out, I will come back to clear my name.”
Following his release, Carrone donated $500,000 worth of Ethereum to Storm’s legal defense fund. This reflects solidarity among developers facing prosecution for their work on blockchain privacy tools.
