We obtained exclusive access to documents from a company called "Payback" that tied the Government's first victim to Tornado Cash – and it doesn't look good.

In the criminal case against Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm, the defense has floated the possibility of a mistrial over what appears to be a major evidentiary dispute.

Yesterday, the defense called into question whether the Government's first witnesses Hanfeng "Katie" Lin's funds did indeed disappear into the Tornado Cash service after falling victim to a pig-butchering scam.

In cross-examination, FBI Agent Joseph DeCapua testified that he was not tasked with investigating Lin's funds specifically. The Government countered that IRS Agent Stephan George, whose testimony is expected today, would prove that Lin's funds did indeed go through Tornado Cash – much to the surprise of involved parties, as Agent George was actually set to testify to other things. For now, the only piece of evidence tying Storm to Lin appears to be an email Lin was asked to send to the Tornado Cash developers on recommendation of a fund recovery firm called "Payback", which told her that her funds had been sent to Storm's service.

...read more at therage.co