A U.S. government-controlled crypto wallet that was drained of funds on Thursday had most of its stolen assets returned by early Friday, amounting to approximately $19.3 million. This unexpected return has added intrigue to what was initially perceived as a significant cyber theft. Blockchain investigator ZachXBT noted via Twitter that the transactions appeared to follow patterns characteristic of illicit hacks, involving a series of transfers and interactions with decentralized finance protocols. The recovered funds comprised Ethereum and the stablecoin USDC, though about $1.2 million still remains missing. This wallet previously held assets seized by the U.S. Department of Justice in connection with the infamous Bitfinex hack from 2016. The events have raised questions on the motivations behind the hacker's decision to return the majority of funds, sparking speculation within the crypto community.

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