MEV Bot Brothers May Face 2026 Retrial in $25M ETH Case
US prosecutors request 2026 retrial after jury deadlocks in $25M ETH MEV exploit case involving Peraire-Bueno brothers.
- Peraire-Bueno brothers may be retried in 2026 over $25M ETH case
- Jury failed to reach a verdict in recent trial
- US prosecutors are pushing for another court date
The high-profile case against the Peraire-Bueno brothers—dubbed the “MEV bot brothers”—is far from over. After a recent trial ended without a verdict, U.S. federal prosecutors have now filed a request to retry the case in 2026.
The brothers are accused of exploiting Ethereum’s MEV (Maximal Extractable Value) system in a sophisticated way to gain $25 million worth of ETH. The government alleges that the two manipulated smart contracts to unfairly reorder blockchain transactions, essentially front-running others in a way prosecutors argue is criminal fraud.
However, during the trial, the jury could not reach a unanimous decision. The deadlock reflects how complex and legally gray the world of MEV bots and decentralized finance can be. With no verdict reached, the case ended in a mistrial.
Now, prosecutors want another shot at convincing a jury that what the Peraire-Bueno brothers did was illegal. If the retrial goes forward, it could become a landmark case for how crypto activities are treated under U.S. law.
What’s at Stake for Crypto and MEV Innovation
The case is being closely watched by the crypto community and legal experts alike. MEV strategies are widely used in DeFi, but they occupy a legal gray area. A guilty verdict in a retrial could set a precedent that certain types of MEV trading may be considered wire fraud or market manipulation.
This uncertainty could affect not just the Peraire-Bueno brothers, but also developers, bot operators, and platforms in the Ethereum ecosystem and beyond.
For now, the crypto world will be keeping a close eye on developments as the legal system gears up for what may be another high-stakes trial in 2026.
