Who is Ethereum Developer Federico Carrone? Core Dev Freed After Detention in Turkey

Federico Carrone, an Ethereum developer known as “Fede’s Intern” on X (formerly Twitter), has been released after being detained in Izmir, Turkey for over 24 hours. Authorities questioned him over suspected involvement with a privacy protocol linked to Ethereum and Tornado Cash.

Carrone confirmed his release through a post on X, saying: “I’m finally out, safe and free. There was a small moment where things looked very bad, but thanks to the help from many, I got released.”

Why Was Carrone Detained?

Carrone said the Turkish Minister of Internal Affairs accused him of “helping others misuse Ethereum.” This was allegedly connected to a research paper he worked on back in January 2022, which explored privacy tools like mixers on Ethereum — specifically Tornado Cash.

He denied any wrongdoing, stating the work was purely academic.

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

Global Effort Behind His Release

Carrone explained that his release came only after a coordinated effort involving people from over 10 countries. This included help from:

• Crypto developers

• Legal professionals

• European governments

• Even representatives from the Catholic Church

He added that officials tried to confiscate his phone, citing security reasons. But due to intervention from contacts, they backed off.

A Growing Threat to Privacy Developers

The case of Federico Carrone follows other high-profile arrests in the crypto space. Developers linked to privacy tools have increasingly come under scrutiny.

Examples include:

• Alexey Pertsev, co-founder of Tornado Cash

• Roman Storm, also connected to Tornado Cash, awaiting trial in New York

Carrone expressed concern about this trend. On Tuesday, he pledged $500,000 in ETH to support Storm’s legal battle. This shows his strong stance on defending the rights of open-source developers.

Who is Federico Carrone?

Carrone is a developer focused on:

• Ethereum infrastructure

• Zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs

• Building privacy solutions for blockchain systems

He is active on social media as “Fede’s Intern” and is known in crypto circles for his work on decentralized and transparent systems. His companies reportedly work with European authorities and follow strict compliance rules.

What’s Next for Carrone?

Carrone has returned to Europe but says his legal team remains in Turkey. They are still trying to understand the exact reason behind his detention.

He shared his willingness to go back to Turkey: “If needed, once things are sorted out, I will come back to clear my name and defend myself.”

His case highlights the uncertain legal space that crypto developers face, especially those working on privacy tools in blockchain.