New York Federal Judge: OFAC Sanctions History Offers No Help in Tornado Cash Trial

According to a report by CoinDesk, Judge Katherine Polk Failla of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York has ruled to prohibit discussion of the U.S. OFAC’s sanction history against the privacy tool Tornado Cash during the upcoming trial of developer Roman Storm. The judge stated that explaining to the jury the sanctions process—which was implemented in 2022, revoked in March 2023, and ruled illegal by a Texas court—would cause “mental confusion.” However, she left open the possibility of revisiting the issue if critical evidence emerges.