In Izmir, Turkish law enforcement has arrested an Argentine blockchain developer known by the pseudonym fede_intern. He is accused of facilitating the “improper use of Ethereum” and participating in allegedly illegal activities related to this blockchain network.
This is reported by Business • Media
Case Details: Developer and Authorities’ Positions
According to the programmer, he was placed in custody following accusations from the Turkish Ministry of Interior regarding his involvement in illegal operations within the Ethereum ecosystem. He reported his detention in a facility in Izmir on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), emphasizing his willingness to cooperate with Turkish authorities and denying any facilitation of illegal activities. The developer is convinced that his arrest is a misunderstanding, as he is only involved in creating infrastructure, not breaking the law.
“So we now have more information. The Turkish Minister of Interior says that I helped people misuse @ethereum. I am fully open to cooperating with any authority in Turkey or any other country; we have not helped anyone in anything, but we will also defend ourselves.”
Support, Community Reaction, and Next Steps
fede_intern reported that his legal team is working on his departure to Europe and emphasized that he will provide more details about the situation after consulting with lawyers and only when he is safe. He is receiving support from colleagues and friends but stresses the need to adhere to legal procedures.
Some users on network X expressed skepticism about this story. In particular, a commentator named 0xCenk questioned the existence of legal grounds for such accusations, explaining that Turkey has general commercial, consumer, and criminal codes governing cryptocurrency-related matters. In response, the developer assured that he has no reason to fabricate such a story and promised to share details after completing legal consultations.
“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 programmer stated.
From open sources, it is known that fede_intern collaborates with the investment company Lambda Class and the blockchain developer Aligned. At the time of preparing this material, no official comments had been received from Turkish authorities, Lambda Class, or the Ethereum Foundation.
Earlier, it was reported that Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm was found partially guilty.