A wallet linked to a hacker who stole over $235 million from the Indian cryptocurrency exchange WazirX has recently moved $6.5 million worth of Ethereum through the controversial crypto mixer Tornado Cash. This movement is part of an alleged attempt to launder the stolen funds.
According to a September 3 post by blockchain security platform Cyvers, the hacker transferred 2,600 Ether—valued at $6.5 million—to Tornado Cash. The funds were moved in 26 separate transactions of 100 ETH each within a single hour, depleting the wallet from its initial $6.7 million to just $154,000, as reported by crypto tracking platform DeBank.
This development coincides with WazirX’s recent announcement that it has begun allowing users to withdraw up to 66% of their Indian rupee token balances, a move initiated almost a week earlier than planned. “Starting today, all eligible users can now withdraw up to the full 66% limit of their INR [Indian rupee] balances,” the exchange stated in a September 3 X post.
The advance in the withdrawal window, originally set for September 9, is part of WazirX’s broader strategy to resume normal operations following the July 18 cyber heist. The exchange has been working on a phased plan to reinstate financial activities, including Indian rupee withdrawals which commenced on August 26.
In the aftermath of the hack, WazirX reported that 34% of the rupee-denominated balances were temporarily “frozen” and unavailable for withdrawal due to ongoing investigations with various law enforcement agencies. The exchange also indicated that there were ongoing legal challenges with cryptocurrency withdrawals.
As part of its recovery and restructuring efforts, WazirX is pursuing legal proceedings in Singapore, having chosen this jurisdiction for its legal restructuring process. The exchange’s actions underscore the complexities and challenges in managing and securing digital assets in the rapidly evolving crypto landscape.
