WazirX Hackers Are Still at It – Another $12M Vanishes into Tornado Cash

• Hackers move 5,000 ETH ($12M) through Tornado Cash, complicating asset recovery.
• WazirX offers a $23.4M reward for tracking down stolen $230M in crypto.
• Breach raises suspicions about insider involvement.

Hackers responsible for the massive WazirX exploit continue to move the stolen funds, the latest being 5,000 ETH (approximately $12 million) transferred through the privacy mixer Tornado Cash, according to blockchain security firm Cyvers.

Read also: WazirX Hacker Cashes Out: $6.5M ETH Moved to Tornado Cash

Pattern of Laundering Continues

This latest transfer is in line with a laundering activity pattern that has been ongoing since the beginning of September, with the hacker repeatedly moving large sums of ETH through Tornado Cash.

Cyvers Alerts reported that the hacker moved a large chunk of Ethereum just yesterday, depositing $1.4 million into Tornado Cash. This follows a pattern seen since the start of September, with the hacker repeatedly moving large sums of ETH through Tornado Cash. On September 3, 2,600 ETH (around $6.54 million) was transferred, and two days later, another 5,000 ETH, valued at $12 million, was sent to a new address.

Read also: WazirX Hackers Continue to Move Stolen ETH, Cyvers Warns

This method of washing crypto assets has made it challenging for authorities and the WazirX team to recover the stolen funds. 

Blame Game and Insider Suspicions

WazirX initially blamed the breach on a vulnerability in its custody provider, Liminal Custody. However, Liminal has denied responsibility, and a recent audit by Grant Thornton concluded that the hack happened outside its control.

Amid speculation, some reports suggest insider involvement, with on-chain data and police investigations in Delhi raising suspicions. To encourage the recovery of the stolen funds, WazirX has offered a 10% reward, amounting to around $23.4 million, to anyone who can help locate the assets.

Even with the reward, the culprits remain elusive as Tornado Cash has significantly complicated efforts to trace the stolen Ethereum. Many observers believe the hacker will continue moving more funds through the mixer in the coming days.

The wider cryptocurrency space continues to face issues with hacks and scams, with mixers like Tornado Cash adding to the difficulty of tracing illicit funds. High-profile cybercriminals like North Korea’s Lazarus Group have used similar tools to launder billions of dollars worth of stolen crypto assets.