The Shibarium Bridge hack investigation moves to the federal level today as Shiba Inu developer Kaal Dhairya confirms he is submitting a new forensic dossier to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The action, based on blockchain analysis by ecosystem partner K9 Finance, seeks to overcome jurisdictional hurdles and force centralized exchange KuCoin to freeze accounts linked to the laundering of stolen funds.
Escalating the Shibarium Bridge Hack Investigation
The strategic shift followed the Tuesday publication of a detailed inquiry by MRShimamoto, a member of the K9 Finance team. After Shimamoto published a thread exposing the attacker’s money laundering network, Dhairya publicly validated the findings and outlined the ecosystem’s enforcement strategy.
“Great work! This needs to be amplified,” Dhairya wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “I will also ensure it’s sent to the @FBI attached to the open investigation report and request @kucoincom to cooperate.”
This statement represented a pivotal development for the Shibarium Bridge hack investigation. It confirmed the existence of an active “open investigation report” with federal authorities and highlighted the role of the Shiba Inu leadership in utilizing formal channels to operationalize the community’s forensic work.
Evidence Unravels the Hacker’s Privacy
The evidence package now driving the investigation relied on a single operational security failure. MRShimamoto identified a transaction where the hacker accidentally transferred 0.0874 ETH from a wallet linked to the exploit directly to a “clean” withdrawal wallet.
This error allowed investigators to pierce the anonymity of the Tornado Cash mixer. By tracking this link, the investigation mapped the flow of approximately 260 ETH.
The data indicated that 232.49 ETH was subsequently funneled into 45 unique deposit addresses on the KuCoin exchange, effectively de-anonymizing the flow of funds.
Overcoming Exchange Barriers
A primary objective of escalating the Shibarium Bridge hack investigation was to compel compliance from KuCoin. Shimamoto noted that previous attempts to collaborate with the exchange’s fraud department were ineffective, as the exchange reportedly required a formal law enforcement case number to act.
By attaching the K9 Finance mapping to an active FBI file, Dhairya provided the necessary legal weight to force the exchange’s hand. This procedural step was designed to trigger the freezing of assets and the release of Know Your Customer (KYC) data associated with the identified mule accounts.
Chain Street’s Analysis
The decision to route community-built forensics straight into an active FBI case places tangible pressure on KuCoin and cracks open the bridge hack’s anonymity. One slip by the attacker exposed the laundering trail, transitioning the situation from an on-chain mystery to a formal enforcement hunt.
