In a recent development, the hacker responsible for the attack on cryptocurrency exchange Poloniex in November 2023 has moved over 1,100 Ether (ETH) to the sanctioned crypto mixer Tornado Cash. The hacker conducted the transfers in batches, still holding over $180 million worth of assets across different blockchains.

According to data from Arkham Intelligence, the Poloniex hacker sent 100 ETH in 11 batches to Tornado Cash, totaling 1,100 ETH (approximately $3.37 million), and an additional two batches of 10 ETH each (valued at approximately $61,400) on May 7, all within a span of four hours.

The hacker's portfolio currently holds assets worth $181.3 million, including Ether, TRX, Bitcoin (BTC), BTCT, and Floki. Ether constitutes the largest holding, with 25,563 ETH valued at $78.6 million.

Poloniex suffered a significant loss of $125 million in crypto assets in November 2023, with over 175 different tokens stolen from the exchange's hot wallet. In response, Poloniex owner Justin Sun pledged full reimbursement of affected funds and offered a 5% bounty to the hacker for returning 95% of the stolen funds within seven days.

Despite being sanctioned by the United States Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in August 2022, Tornado Cash continues to be utilized by cybercriminals. The crypto mixer, known for obfuscating transaction trails, has drawn scrutiny for its association with money laundering activities, including by groups like North Korea's Lazarus Group.

Following the OFAC sanctions, developers behind Tornado Cash have faced allegations of money laundering and sanctions violations. Some developers have been arrested, while others face legal proceedings for their alleged involvement in laundering crypto funds worth billions of dollars.

The recent use of Tornado Cash by the Poloniex hacker underscores the ongoing challenges in combating illicit activities in the crypto space and highlights the need for continued regulatory oversight and enforcement measures.