Hacker Restores $68M in Stolen Crypto to Whale Wallet: Unprecedented Event in Blockchain History

• A hacker who recently stole nearly $70 million in crypto from a whale has reportedly returned almost all of the stolen assets.
• The hacker used an “address poisoning” scheme to trick the victim into sending the funds to the wrong wallet.
• Blockchain tracking firm Arkham reports that the hacker has returned nearly all the stolen funds, with the victim now holding 22,960 ETH worth $66.33 million.

A recent crypto theft involving a hacker and a whale took an unexpected turn when the hacker returned almost all of the stolen $70 million in assets. The incident highlights the risks and complexities of the crypto world.

Hacker Steals $70 Million in Crypto

Earlier this month, a hacker successfully phished a whale using an “address poisoning” scheme. This tactic involves sending a small amount of crypto to the victim from an address that looks similar to the victim’s wallet. The victim is tricked into copying the bad actor’s address from their transaction history and sending the crypto to that wallet instead.

Details of the Theft

Blockchain security firm CertiK reports that the scammer mimicked a transfer of 0.05 Ethereum (ETH), which tricked the victim into sending 1,155 Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) worth $69.3 million to the wrong address. The hacker then swapped the WBTC stack into 23,000 ETH.

Hacker Returns Stolen Assets

Interestingly, the hacker appears to have had a change of heart. After an exchange of words over Etherscan’s messaging service, the hacker was seemingly compelled to return the stolen assets to the whale. According to blockchain tracking firm Arkham, the hacker has returned nearly all the stolen funds in a series of transactions over the past few days. Arkham’s data shows that the whale is now holding 22,960 ETH worth $66.33 million.

Conclusion

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the risks associated with the crypto world. While the whale was fortunate to have their assets returned, not all victims of crypto theft are so lucky. As the crypto market continues to evolve, it’s crucial for investors to remain vigilant and take steps to secure their assets.