A notorious maximal extractable value (MEV) bot, known as “jaredfromsubway.eth,” has resurfaced with upgraded capabilities, launching more complex “sandwich” attacks on DeFi protocols. The bot, which earned millions in 2023 through arbitrage and sandwich strategies, has been enhanced to execute more sophisticated multi-layered attacks.

On August 20, MEV tracking platform EigenPhi reported that the bot had evolved to incorporate new techniques, including scheduling transactions before and after a victim’s trade to manipulate prices and generate profits at their expense. These “sandwich” attacks now involve multiple transactions within a single block, particularly targeting Uniswap V3 pools by exploiting exchange rate vulnerabilities.

The upgraded version of the bot, dubbed “Jared 2.0,” also employs more advanced tactics such as adding and removing liquidity from DEX pools, making its activities harder to track and analyze. EigenPhi noted that these new strategies further complicate efforts to assess the profitability of the attacks.

Between August 1 and August 14, the bot’s activities yielded approximately $2.2 million in profits, which were then distributed to other bots and traders. However, after August 7, its activity saw a sharp decline, eventually stopping entirely by August 14.

According to EigenPhi, the volume of sandwich attacks has surged, surpassing $17 billion in the past month alone. The bot’s name, “jaredfromsubway,” is a reference to Jared Fogle, the former Subway spokesperson convicted in 2015 on serious criminal charges.

This resurgence highlights the growing sophistication of MEV bots and the ongoing challenges DeFi protocols face in mitigating such attacks.