An attacker connected to the recent exploit of the Verus network transferred 4,052.4 ETH worth $8.5 million back to the project’s wallet on Thursday, following a negotiated settlement framework proposed by the platform's core contributors.

The returned amount represents 75% of the assets drained from the Verus-Ethereum bridge during the exploit, while 1,350 ETH, or about $2.8 million, remained in the attacker's wallet as a bounty, according to blockchain security PeckShield, citing onchain data. The attacker has moved the remaining funds to a new wallet address.

The return came hours after the Verus team outlined terms to the attacker in a Thursday post on X, stating that the return of 4,052.4 ETH within 24 hours would prompt the community to halt ongoing investigations, refrain from pressing charges, and not pursue extralegal action.

"We will also post a public acknowledgement, referencing the 1,350 ETH and publicly state that we consider those funds to be your bounty," the team said in the post. 

The Verus team had not acknowledged the return of funds as of press time. The Block reached out for comment.

The Verus-Ethereum bridge was compromised on May 18 at 11:55 p.m. UTC, according to a Discord announcement. The attacker took ETH, USDC, and tBTC from the Ethereum contract. 

Blockaid, an onchain security platform, estimated losses at $11.58 million. PeckShield reported the bridge had been drained for 103.6 tBTC, 1,625 ETH, and 147,000 USDC, with the attacker later swapping those assets for 5,402 ETH, worth about $11.4 million.

Following the attack, the Verus team said it focused on hardening the bridge against vulnerabilities, conducting additional auditing, and developing a plan to address fund losses as a decentralized community without venture capital backing.