Help Us Fight for Justice: Support Roman Sterlingov’s Appeal

Roman Sterlingov, a Swedish-Russian citizen, has been convicted for allegedly operating BitcoinFog, a cryptocurrency mixing service accused of facilitating money laundering. Despite a lack of direct evidence connecting Roman to operating Bitcoin Fog, he’s now serving a 12.5-year sentence at Fort Dix. We need your support to fund his appeal to the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, a critical step in overturning this wrongful conviction.

Why This Matters to Everyone

Roman’s conviction is not just about one individual. It’s a chilling message to everyone who owns Bitcoin or participates in the cryptocurrency ecosystem. Here’s why:

1. Guilt by Association: Roman’s conviction relies on circumstantial evidence, with no direct proof tying him to BitcoinFog. If his conviction stands it exposes all cryptocurrency users to potential legal risks for merely interacting with blockchain technology.
2. No Evidence from BitcoinFog Servers: The government presented no evidence from BitcoinFog’s servers because they were never found. There were no server logs, no BitcoinFog ledgers, no communications between Roman and anyone operating BitcoinFog, and no private keys linked to BitcoinFog ever found in Roman’s possession.
3. Flawed Tracing Technology: The prosecution relied on blockchain tracing software with no known error rates, nor scientific proof of its validity, raising serious questions about the reliability of the evidence used against Roman.
4. Speculative IP Address Analysis: The government claimed Roman was linked to an email address (shormint@hotmail.com) allegedly used to set up BitcoinFog through IP address analysis. However, the government’s expert admitted they had invented the methodology used, had never applied it before, and was essentially guessing. The claim was based on Roman logging into a server—potentially used by thousands of other users—around the same time as the email.
5. Innovation Under Threat: Cryptocurrency mixing services, like BitcoinFog, are legal tools designed to enhance financial privacy. Penalizing individuals for creating or using such services jeopardizes innovation and privacy rights in the digital age.
6. Precedent for Overreach: If this conviction stands, it will embolden law enforcement agencies to target individuals without sufficient proof, based on speculative claims. This could lead to widespread fear and suppression in the cryptocurrency space.

The Fight Ahead

Roman’s appeal is not just a legal battle—it’s a fight for the future of financial privacy and the protection of basic rights in a rapidly evolving digital world. Appeals are highly specialized and require expert legal representation to:

– Draft and file complex legal briefs.
– Present compelling oral arguments before the appellate court.
– Challenge the dangerous precedents set by this conviction.

How You Can Help

We cannot do this without you. Appeals to the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals are costly, involving significant attorney fees, court filing costs, and other legal expenses. Every dollar raised brings us one step closer to overturning this unjust conviction.  All donations are final, no refunds, and will be used at the sole discretion of the Appellate team for Roman’s Appeal.

Join Us in Defending Justice

This is a pivotal moment not just for Roman but for everyone who values financial privacy and fairness in the legal system. Together, we can fight back against this injustice and ensure a brighter, freer future for all cryptocurrency users.

Thank you for standing with Roman Sterlingov.