Verus Bridge Exploiter Returns 4,052 ETH After Negotiated Settlement

A major portion of funds stolen from the Verus Ethereum bridge has been returned after the attacker agreed to a negotiated settlement with project contributors. According to blockchain security analysts at PeckShield, the exploiter sent 4,052.4 ETH worth around $8.5 million back to a Verus team wallet address following onchain discussions.

Exploiter Keeps $2.8 Million as Bounty Agreement

The returned assets account for roughly 75% of the total funds drained during the exploit. The attacker retained about 1,350 ETH, valued near $2.8 million, which was offered as a bounty by the Verus team in exchange for returning the majority of the stolen assets and avoiding legal escalation or further investigation.

The Verus contributors had earlier posted terms on social media, stating that returning the funds within 24 hours would lead to halted investigations and a public acknowledgment of the bounty arrangement.

Bridge Hack Triggered Losses Across Multiple Assets

The exploit occurred on May 18 and affected ETH, USDC, and tBTC held in the Ethereum bridge contract. Security firms estimate total losses ranged from about $11.4 million to $11.58 million after asset swaps and movements.

Following the incident, the Verus team said it is strengthening bridge security, conducting audits, and working on a decentralized recovery plan without venture capital support.