The attacker behind the Verus cross-chain bridge exploit sent back 4,052.4 ETH, worth about $8.5 million, to a team-controlled address. According to PeckShield (blockchain security firm), the returned Ether represents around 75% of the total stolen in the May 18 attack, which drained about $11.58 million from the bridge. Roughly 1,350 ETH remains in the attacker wallet as a bounty, indicating the team may have effectively allowed the attacker to retain part of the funds. Cross-chain bridges, which move assets between blockchains, have historically been a frequent target for exploits because they concentrate liquidity and rely on complex smart contract (self-executing blockchain code) systems.