Scammer Returns Millions in Stolen Crypto 10 Months After Phishing Heist

In a notable turn of events, a victim of a phishing scam has seen a partial recovery of their stolen funds, with the scammer returning $9.3 million ten months after the $24 million heist. The incident, which initially involved unauthorized approvals via ERC-20 tokens, highlights ongoing risks and restitution efforts within the cryptocurrency space.

• Defendant: Unnamed phishing scammer
• Crime: Fraudulent cryptocurrency investment solicitation via phishing
• Amount Defrauded: $24 million in crypto assets (including Lido Staked Ether and rETH)
• Method: Phishing attack enabling unauthorized token approvals through "Increase Allowance" transactions
• Restitution: $9.3 million returned to the victim, with the first transfer of $5.23 million on July 8, followed by another $4.04 million on July 13
• Current Status: Scammer's wallet balance stands at slightly over $3 million
• Investigation: Analysis by Scam Sniffer and association with Railgun Relay intermediary

On September 6, 2023, the phishing scam resulted in the theft of 9,579 Lido Staked Ether (stETH) and 4,850 Rocket Pool (rETH) tokens. Nearly ten months later, in July 2024, the scammer returned $9.3 million in DAI stablecoins to the victim. The funds were traced and transferred back through Railgun Relay. The first transfer occurred on July 8, 2024, with the subsequent transfer on July 13, 2024.

In a notable phishing scam case, an unnamed scammer returned $9.3 million to their victim ten months after stealing $24 million in crypto assets. The scam involved enabling unauthorized token approvals via "Increase Allowance" transactions. Despite the partial restitution, the scammer's wallet still holds over $3 million. This case highlights the ongoing risks in the cryptocurrency market and the significant efforts needed to recover stolen funds. Analysis by Scam Sniffer and the use of Railgun Relay played a critical role in tracing and returning the stolen assets.