An Argentine blockchain solutions developer, known online as fede_intern, has been arrested in Izmir, Turkey, on suspicion of facilitating the “improper use of Ethereum.” Turkish law enforcement alleges that he was involved in activities related to the illegal use of the Ethereum network.
This is reported by Finway
Developer’s Statement and Case Progress
Fede_intern reported his arrest in a series of posts on the social media platform X. According to him, the Turkish Ministry of Internal Affairs believes he assisted third parties in misusing Ethereum. The developer firmly denies any wrongdoing, stating that he is only involved in creating infrastructure and is willing to cooperate with law enforcement agencies from various countries.
“So now we have more information. The Turkish Minister of Internal Affairs says that I helped people misuse Ethereum. I am fully open to cooperating with any authorities in Turkey or any other country; we did not assist anyone in any wrongdoing, but we will also defend ourselves.”
His legal team is working to arrange his departure to Europe. Fede_intern emphasized that he would share details of the case only after consulting with his lawyers and when he is safely outside Turkey.
Community Reaction and Legal Doubts
A discussion has erupted on X regarding the legality of such accusations. Some users point out that similar formulations do not exist in Turkish legislation concerning cryptocurrencies. In particular, a commentator with the nickname 0xCenk noted the lack of legal grounds for an arrest for such actions, as the country is governed by existing commercial, consumer, and criminal codes even when dealing with crypto cases.
In response to the skepticism, fede_intern emphasized that he has no reason to fabricate this story and promised to provide detailed information after leaving Turkey.
“I am waiting to share detailed information until I leave the country and my lawyer gives me the green light. I don’t know what I could gain by making up that this happened to me,” the developer stated.
It is known that fede_intern collaborates with the investment company Lambda Class and is part of the blockchain developer team Aligned. As of now, there have been no official comments from Turkish authorities, Lambda Class, or the Ethereum Foundation.
It was previously reported that the co-founder of the mixer Tornado Cash, Roman Storm, was found partially guilty in a similar case.