Court Approves Arbitrum DAOs $71M ETH Transfer Amid North Korea Hack
A federal judge in New York has authorized Arbitrum DAO to transfer $71 million in frozen Ether (ETH) to Aave, addressing the fallout of a North Korea-linked exploit. The decision facilitates Aaves recovery efforts while preserving legal claims from terrorism victims over the funds in question. The ruling, issued by Judge Margaret Garnett of the Southern District of New York, modifies a previous restraining notice that had locked the assets under Arbitrum DAOs control. The updated order allows Arbitrum DAO to initiate an onchain governance vote to send the funds to a wallet managed by Aave LLC. Participants in the transfer are explicitly protected from violating the freeze, ensuring legal clarity for the DAO and its delegates. However, the funds remain under potential legal scrutiny. If the court later rules in favor of the terrorism victims, the assets could still be redirected to satisfy claims tied to unpaid judgments against North Korea. DeFi Governance and the Kelp DAO Exploit The move follows a strong show of support for the transfer from Arbitrum DAO delegates, who approved it via an off-chain Snapshot vote. The proposal is part of Aaves broader strategy to address the impact of the April Kelp DAO exploit, which North Korean hackers









