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MIT Brothers Must Face Trial Over $25 Million Ethereum Bot Exploit
Last Updated: July 24, 2025
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Key Takeaways
- A judge ruled that MIT grads Anton and James Peraire-Bueno must face trial for a $25 million crypto theft involving Ethereum trading bots;
- Prosecutors said the brothers tricked MEV bots using a planned tactic and 16 validator nodes to move funds in just 12 seconds;
- The defense argued their actions followed Ethereum’s rules, but the judge said the fraud law still applies regardless of the method.
Anton and James Peraire-Bueno, both graduates of MIT, will have to defend themselves in court after a judge declined to dismiss charges tied to a major crypto theft on Ethereum
The brothers are accused of using a technical strategy to take $25 million worth of crypto by targeting trading bots on the Ethereum network.
On July 23, US District Judge Jessica Clarke ruled that the details in the indictment were enough to support claims of wire fraud, even though the method used was new.
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According to prosecutors, the pair exploited a system used by MEV bots. These bots scan upcoming blockchain transactions and look for ways to make a profit, usually by getting ahead of other trades.
The indictment describes how the brothers planned and carried out a four-part strategy they called "bait, block, search, and propagation". They allegedly used this process to trick the bots, delay other transactions, and transfer money in their favor.
The brothers set up 16 Ethereum validator accounts using over 500 ETH. These validators gave them more control over the transaction order and helped them complete the entire operation in just 12 seconds.
Anton and James argued that what they did was allowed by Ethereum’s rules and claimed the bots were already using unfair trading tactics.
Their lawyers said the wire fraud law did not apply to this type of case. However, Judge Clarke stated that the law covered the kind of conduct described, regardless of the tools used to carry it out.
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