The crypto scammer who stole 1,155 Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC), equivalent to $70.5 million, has begun returning the funds, according to on-chain data.Blockchain security firm Peckshield reported that the attacker had returned 50% of the stolen funds— approximately 11,446.87 ETH worth $34.7 million—to the victim’s address as of press time.This refund comes shortly after the scammer engaged with the victim through several on-chain messages over the past day.On May 3, an unnamed crypto trader lost 1,155 WBTC through an address-poisoning phishing scheme. These illicit schemes typically lure individuals into transferring digital assets to fraudulent addresses owned by malicious actors.Following the theft, the attacker swiftly converted the funds into 22,956 ETH and dispersed the digital assets across “a large number of wallets” to obfuscate the trail.However, the victim proposed offering the perpetrator a 10% bounty in exchange for returning 90% of the stolen funds, cautioning that laundering the money would prove futile.“We both know there’s no way to clean this funds. You will be traced. We also both understand the ‘sleep well’ phrase wasn’t about your moral and ethical qualities. Nevertheless, we officially admin your right to the 10%. Send 90% back,” the victim wrote.On May 9, the attacker sent 51 ETH, worth more than $150,000, to the victim, including a message asking the victim to provide a Telegram username where they could be contacted.Blockchain security firm Slow Mist suggested that the attacker might be involved in several other phishing attacks targeting the Tron and Ethereum blockchains.The firm said it “observed that from April 19 to May 3, [an address associated with the hacker] initiated over twenty thousand small transactions, distributing small amounts of ETH to various addresses for phishing purposes.”Slow Mist furthered that several IPs suspected to be used by the hacker originated from mobile stations in Hong KongOluwapelumi values Bitcoin’s potential. He imparts insights on a range of topics like DeFi, hacks, mining and culture, underlining transformative power.Also known as “Akiba,” Liam is a reporter, editor and podcast producer at CryptoSlate. He believes that decentralized technology has the potential to make widespread positive change. Your daily dose of must-have crypto news and deep dives. Direct to your inbox.The current uncertainty in the market is being fueled by the impending Federal Open Market Committee’s (FOMC) decision on cutting interest rates.Embracing Bitcoin mining could be pivotal in Trump’s envisioned energy strategy.Miller argued that the flagship crypto remains vastly undervalued and predicts a major shift in global capital governance.The report highlights significant gaps in law enforcement’s ability to track and recover illicit digital assets moved via privacy coins, layer-2 networks, and crypto mixers. CryptoSlate’s latest market report dives deep into the effects corporate Bitcoin purchases have on the market.Disclaimer: Our writers’ opinions are solely their own and do not reflect the opinion of CryptoSlate. None of the information you read on CryptoSlate should be taken as investment advice, nor does CryptoSlate endorse any project that may be mentioned or linked to in this article. Buying and trading cryptocurrencies should be considered a high-risk activity. Please do your own due diligence before taking any action related to content within this article. Finally, CryptoSlate takes no responsibility should you lose money trading cryptocurrencies.
