Blockchain Investigator Flags $1M+ Exploit on Projects Tied to Pepe Creator

Blockchain analyst ZachXBT revealed a coordinated exploit affecting projects connected to Pepe creator Matt Furie and ChainSaw, along with the Favrr platform. The incidents, traced back to presumed North Korean IT workers unintentionally worked with as developers, led to over $1 million in digital assets being drained. The investigation highlights persistent security gaps and how social engineering can compromise prominent Web3 initiatives.

According to a detailed thread published by ZachXBT, the attack began on June 18, 2025, when control of Replicandy, a ChainSaw project, was transferred to a new Ethereum address. These individuals appear to have been hired unknowingly by the affected projects, despite warning signs such as foreign-language settings, VPN use, and suspicious activity logs. GitHub profiles, wallet addresses, and even LinkedIn evidence helped identify several DPRK operatives involved.