Ethereum dev Federico Carrone ‘safe and free’ after legal battle in Turkey – Details

Key Takeaways

Ethereum dev Federico Carrone was detained in Turkey over alleged links to a privacy tool, but is now free. He believes the case stems from past research on Tornado Cash. However, the legal issue remains unresolved.

Ethereum [ETH] core developer Federico Carrone (known as “Fede’s Intern” on X) is “safe and free” after spending 24 hours in detention in Turkey over alleged links to an Ethereum privacy protocol.

His release comes after swift intervention from friends and contacts worldwide.

The legal case against him however, remains unresolved.

Ethereum dev’s detention in Turkey ends

Carrone said Turkey’s Minister of Internal Affairs accused him of “helping others misuse Ethereum” through a privacy tool.

He believes the accusation stems from a January 2022 research paper he co-authored on Ethereum and Tornado Cash privacy.

He clarified,

“We never helped anyone engage in illegal activity, it was purely research on mixers and their properties.”

The incident added to growing concerns over the treatment of developers working on open-source privacy protocols.

Tornado Cash co-founders Alexey Pertsev and Roman Storm have faced similar legal battles, with Storm awaiting a verdict in a high-profile U.S. trial that could set a precedent for the sector.

Global support and release

Carrone was told that he would lose access to his phone and communication. But within hours, friends from the UAE, UK, US, Europe, Argentina (and even the Catholic Church) stepped in.

Some reached out to senior Turkish officials directly. Thanking those who stood by him, Carrone said,

“I will never forget it. I hope to be able to give back to all of those that helped me.”

Even members of the Solana [SOL] ecosystem offered assistance, a rare show of unity across blockchain communities.

Carrone has since relocated to Europe

While free, the case is still active in Turkey. His lawyer is building a defense and he hasn’t ruled out returning to clear his name.

“We still don’t have the full picture of what happened or why it happened, but we will bring in the best team we can and resolve this.

Wider crackdowns and ETH donation

Carrone’s ordeal reflects a broader crackdown on privacy-focused developers, raising urgent questions about whether publishing or contributing to open-source privacy tools could be criminalized.

 In a show of solidarity, Carrone donated $500,000 in ETH to Roman Storm’s legal defense. 

Speaking about the generous support, he said,

“Roman’s legal defense matters because builders everywhere need to know they can push innovation forward and that the community will stand behind them when they do.”