diff --git a/config/eslint.cjs b/config/eslint.cjs
index d2f97618a8..0e370ce840 100644
--- a/config/eslint.cjs
+++ b/config/eslint.cjs
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ module.exports = {
       'error',
       { argsIgnorePattern: '^_', varsIgnorePattern: '^_' },
     ],
-    '@typescript-eslint/no-redeclare': ['error'],
+    '@typescript-eslint/no-redeclare': 0,
+    'no-ex-assign': 0,
     '@typescript-eslint/no-unnecessary-condition': 'off',
     '@typescript-eslint/prefer-nullish-coalescing': 'error',
     '@typescript-eslint/restrict-plus-operands': 'off',
diff --git a/config/tsconfig.json b/config/tsconfig.json
index 5f6f0ee8f8..c15ecd7148 100644
--- a/config/tsconfig.json
+++ b/config/tsconfig.json
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
     "strict": true,
     "target": "es2020",
     "lib": ["ES2020", "DOM"],
-    "skipLibCheck": true
+    "skipLibCheck": true,
+    "useUnknownInCatchVariables": false
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/block/src/block/block.ts b/packages/block/src/block/block.ts
index b6613a2791..6ae073c0f1 100644
--- a/packages/block/src/block/block.ts
+++ b/packages/block/src/block/block.ts
@@ -607,13 +607,13 @@ export class Block {
     let hash = ''
     try {
       hash = bytesToHex(this.hash())
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch {
       hash = 'error'
     }
     let hf = ''
     try {
       hf = this.common.hardfork()
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch {
       hf = 'error'
     }
     let errorStr = `block number=${this.header.number} hash=${hash} `
diff --git a/packages/block/src/header/header.ts b/packages/block/src/header/header.ts
index 9f24919f56..41760d5593 100644
--- a/packages/block/src/header/header.ts
+++ b/packages/block/src/header/header.ts
@@ -806,13 +806,13 @@ export class BlockHeader {
     let hash = ''
     try {
       hash = bytesToHex(this.hash())
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch {
       hash = 'error'
     }
     let hf = ''
     try {
       hf = this.common.hardfork()
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch {
       hf = 'error'
     }
     let errorStr = `block header number=${this.number} hash=${hash} `
diff --git a/packages/block/test/block.spec.ts b/packages/block/test/block.spec.ts
index 6ad2c932a3..044c6c4c85 100644
--- a/packages/block/test/block.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/block/test/block.spec.ts
@@ -154,7 +154,10 @@ describe('[Block]: block functions', () => {
     try {
       createBlockFromRLP(blockRlp, { common })
       assert.ok(true, 'should pass')
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       assert.fail('should not throw')
     }
   })
@@ -165,7 +168,10 @@ describe('[Block]: block functions', () => {
     try {
       createBlockFromRPC(testdataFromRPCGoerliData, [], { common })
       assert.ok(true, 'does not throw')
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       assert.fail('error thrown')
     }
   })
@@ -184,7 +190,10 @@ describe('[Block]: block functions', () => {
     try {
       await block.validateData()
       assert.fail('should throw')
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       assert.ok((error.message as string).includes('invalid transaction trie'))
     }
   })
@@ -205,7 +214,10 @@ describe('[Block]: block functions', () => {
     try {
       await block.validateData()
       assert.fail('should throw')
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       assert.ok((error.message as string).includes('unsigned'))
     }
   })
@@ -237,7 +249,10 @@ describe('[Block]: block functions', () => {
     try {
       await block.validateData()
       assert.fail('should throw')
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       assert.ok((error.message as string).includes('invalid uncle hash'))
     }
   })
@@ -260,7 +275,10 @@ describe('[Block]: block functions', () => {
       try {
         await fn
         assert.fail('should throw')
-      } catch (e: any) {
+      } catch (e) {
+        if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+          e = new Error(e)
+        }
         assert.ok((e.message as string).includes(errorMsg))
       }
     }
diff --git a/packages/block/test/eip1559block.spec.ts b/packages/block/test/eip1559block.spec.ts
index 8cc3757df8..835655c226 100644
--- a/packages/block/test/eip1559block.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/block/test/eip1559block.spec.ts
@@ -72,7 +72,10 @@ describe('EIP1559 tests', () => {
         },
       )
       assert.fail('should throw when baseFeePerGas is not set to initial base fee')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       const expectedError = 'Initial EIP1559 block does not have initial base fee'
       assert.ok(
         e.message.includes(expectedError),
@@ -96,7 +99,10 @@ describe('EIP1559 tests', () => {
       )
       ;(header as any).baseFeePerGas = undefined
       await (header as any)._genericFormatValidation()
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       const expectedError = 'EIP1559 block has no base fee field'
       assert.ok(
         e.message.includes(expectedError),
@@ -141,7 +147,10 @@ describe('EIP1559 tests', () => {
         },
       )
       assert.fail('should throw')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(e.message.includes('base fee'), 'should throw on wrong initial base fee')
     }
   })
@@ -199,7 +208,10 @@ describe('EIP1559 tests', () => {
         },
       )
       assert.fail('should throw')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(e.message.includes('too much gas used'), 'should throw when elasticity is exceeded')
     }
   })
@@ -325,7 +337,10 @@ describe('EIP1559 tests', () => {
     try {
       header.validateGasLimit(genesis.header)
       assert.fail('should throw')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         e.message.includes('gas limit increased too much'),
         'should throw if gas limit is increased too much (HF transition block)',
@@ -349,7 +364,10 @@ describe('EIP1559 tests', () => {
     try {
       header.validateGasLimit(block1.header)
       assert.fail('should throw')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         e.message.includes('gas limit increased too much'),
         'should throw if gas limit is increased too much (post-HF transition block)',
@@ -375,7 +393,10 @@ describe('EIP1559 tests', () => {
     try {
       header.validateGasLimit(genesis.header)
       assert.fail('should throw')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         e.message.includes('gas limit decreased too much'),
         'should throw if gas limit is decreased too much (HF transition block)',
@@ -399,7 +420,10 @@ describe('EIP1559 tests', () => {
     try {
       header.validateGasLimit(block1.header)
       assert.fail('should throw')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         e.message.includes('gas limit decreased too much'),
         'should throw if gas limit is decreased too much (post-HF transition block)',
diff --git a/packages/block/test/from-rpc.spec.ts b/packages/block/test/from-rpc.spec.ts
index b50b5a207c..56fec1fc67 100644
--- a/packages/block/test/from-rpc.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/block/test/from-rpc.spec.ts
@@ -223,7 +223,10 @@ describe('[fromJSONRPCProvider]', () => {
     try {
       await createBlockFromJSONRPCProvider(provider, bytesToHex(randomBytes(32)), {})
       assert.fail('should throw')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         err.message.includes('No block data returned from provider'),
         'returned correct error message',
diff --git a/packages/block/test/header.spec.ts b/packages/block/test/header.spec.ts
index 0037e49c9c..d1254b9197 100644
--- a/packages/block/test/header.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/block/test/header.spec.ts
@@ -123,7 +123,10 @@ describe('[Block]: Header functions', () => {
   it('Initialization -> fromRLPSerializedHeader() -> error cases', () => {
     try {
       createBlockHeaderFromRLP(RLP.encode('a'))
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       const expectedError = 'Invalid serialized header input. Must be array'
       assert.ok(e.message.includes(expectedError), 'should throw with header as rlp encoded string')
     }
@@ -170,14 +173,20 @@ describe('[Block]: Header functions', () => {
     headerArray[15] = zeros(4) // bad data
     try {
       createBlockHeaderFromBytesArray(headerArray)
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       const expectedError = 'invalid header. More values than expected were received'
       assert.ok(e.message.includes(expectedError), 'should throw on more values than expected')
     }
 
     try {
       createBlockHeaderFromBytesArray(headerArray.slice(0, 5))
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       const expectedError = 'invalid header. Less values than expected were received'
       assert.ok(e.message.includes(expectedError), 'should throw on less values than expected')
     }
@@ -208,7 +217,10 @@ describe('[Block]: Header functions', () => {
     try {
       createBlockHeader({ ...data, extraData }, opts)
       assert.ok(true, testCase)
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       assert.fail(testCase)
     }
 
@@ -219,7 +231,10 @@ describe('[Block]: Header functions', () => {
     try {
       createBlockHeader({ ...data, extraData }, opts)
       assert.ok(testCase)
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       assert.fail(testCase)
     }
 
@@ -230,7 +245,10 @@ describe('[Block]: Header functions', () => {
     try {
       createBlockHeader({ ...data, extraData }, opts)
       assert.fail(testCase)
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       assert.ok((error.message as string).includes('invalid amount of extra data'), testCase)
     }
 
@@ -250,7 +268,10 @@ describe('[Block]: Header functions', () => {
     try {
       createBlockHeader({ ...data, extraData }, opts)
       assert.ok(true, testCase)
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       assert.fail(testCase)
     }
 
@@ -260,7 +281,10 @@ describe('[Block]: Header functions', () => {
     try {
       createBlockHeader({ ...data, extraData }, opts)
       assert.fail(testCase)
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         (error.message as string).includes(
           'extraData must be 97 bytes on non-epoch transition blocks, received 32 bytes',
@@ -281,7 +305,10 @@ describe('[Block]: Header functions', () => {
     try {
       createBlockHeader({ ...data, number: epoch, extraData }, opts)
       assert.fail(testCase)
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         (error.message as string).includes(
           'invalid signer list length in extraData, received signer length of 41 (not divisible by 20)',
@@ -301,7 +328,10 @@ describe('[Block]: Header functions', () => {
         true,
         'should instantiate header with invalid extraData when skipConsensusFormatValidation === true',
       )
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       assert.fail('should not throw')
     }
   })
@@ -358,7 +388,10 @@ describe('[Block]: Header functions', () => {
     try {
       await header.validate(blockchain)
       assert.fail(testCase)
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error);
+      }
       assert.ok((error.message as string).includes('invalid timestamp diff (lower than period)'), testCase)
     }
 
@@ -368,7 +401,10 @@ describe('[Block]: Header functions', () => {
     try {
       await header.validate(blockchain)
       assert.ok(true, testCase)
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error);
+      }
       assert.fail(testCase)
     }
 
@@ -379,7 +415,10 @@ describe('[Block]: Header functions', () => {
     try {
       await header.validate(blockchain)
       assert.fail('should throw')
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error);
+      }
       if ((error.message as string).includes('coinbase must be filled with zeros on epoch transition blocks')) {
         assert.ok(true, 'error thrown')
       } else {
@@ -395,7 +434,10 @@ describe('[Block]: Header functions', () => {
     try {
       await header.validate(blockchain)
       assert.fail('should throw')
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error);
+      }
       if ((error.message as string).includes('mixHash must be filled with zeros')) {
         assert.ok(true, 'error thrown')
       } else {
@@ -410,7 +452,10 @@ describe('[Block]: Header functions', () => {
     try {
       header.validateCliqueDifficulty(blockchain)
       assert.fail(testCase)
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error);
+      }
       if ((error.message as string).includes('difficulty for clique block must be INTURN (2) or NOTURN (1)')) {
         assert.ok(true, 'error thrown on invalid clique difficulty')
       } else {
@@ -431,7 +476,10 @@ describe('[Block]: Header functions', () => {
     try {
       const res = header.validateCliqueDifficulty(poaBlockchain)
       assert.equal(res, true, testCase)
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error);
+      }
       assert.fail(testCase)
     }
 
@@ -442,7 +490,10 @@ describe('[Block]: Header functions', () => {
     try {
       const res = header.validateCliqueDifficulty(poaBlockchain)
       assert.equal(res, false, testCase)
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error);
+      }
       assert.fail(testCase)
     }
       })
diff --git a/packages/block/test/mergeBlock.spec.ts b/packages/block/test/mergeBlock.spec.ts
index ccc7a6f8bd..e93417188c 100644
--- a/packages/block/test/mergeBlock.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/block/test/mergeBlock.spec.ts
@@ -53,7 +53,10 @@ describe('[Header]: Casper PoS / The Merge Functionality', () => {
       }
       createBlockHeader(headerData, { common })
       assert.fail('should throw')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(true, 'should throw on wrong uncleHash')
     }
 
@@ -64,7 +67,10 @@ describe('[Header]: Casper PoS / The Merge Functionality', () => {
       }
       createBlockHeader(headerData, { common })
       assert.fail('should throw')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(true, 'should throw on wrong difficulty')
     }
 
@@ -75,7 +81,10 @@ describe('[Header]: Casper PoS / The Merge Functionality', () => {
       }
       createBlockHeader(headerData, { common })
       assert.fail('should throw')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(true, 'should throw on invalid extraData length')
     }
 
@@ -85,7 +94,10 @@ describe('[Header]: Casper PoS / The Merge Functionality', () => {
       }
       createBlockHeader(headerData, { common })
       assert.fail('should throw')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(true, 'should throw on invalid mixHash length')
     }
 
@@ -96,7 +108,10 @@ describe('[Header]: Casper PoS / The Merge Functionality', () => {
       }
       createBlockHeader(headerData, { common })
       assert.fail('should throw')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(true, 'should throw on wrong nonce')
     }
   })
@@ -107,7 +122,10 @@ describe('[Header]: Casper PoS / The Merge Functionality', () => {
         common,
       })
       assert.fail('should have thrown')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(true, 'should throw')
     }
   })
@@ -126,7 +144,10 @@ describe('[Header]: Casper PoS / The Merge Functionality', () => {
     try {
       block.header.prevRandao
       assert.fail('should have thrown')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(true, 'prevRandao should throw if EIP-4399 is not activated')
     }
   })
diff --git a/packages/blockchain/src/blockchain.ts b/packages/blockchain/src/blockchain.ts
index 2cb5c8b231..095d3ecb69 100644
--- a/packages/blockchain/src/blockchain.ts
+++ b/packages/blockchain/src/blockchain.ts
@@ -755,7 +755,10 @@ export class Blockchain implements BlockchainInterface {
         let block
         try {
           block = await this.getBlock(blockId)
-        } catch (err: any) {
+        } catch (err) {
+          if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+            err = new Error(err)
+          }
           if (err.message.includes('not found in DB') === true) {
             return
           } else throw err
@@ -796,7 +799,10 @@ export class Blockchain implements BlockchainInterface {
         let number
         try {
           number = await this.dbManager.hashToNumber(hashes[mid])
-        } catch (err: any) {
+        } catch (err) {
+          if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+            err = new Error(err)
+          }
           if (err.message.includes('not found in DB') === true) {
             number = undefined
           } else throw err
@@ -917,7 +923,10 @@ export class Blockchain implements BlockchainInterface {
     try {
       const childHeader = await this.getCanonicalHeader(blockNumber + BIGINT_1)
       await this._delChild(childHeader.hash(), childHeader.number, headHash, ops)
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       if (err.message.includes('not found in canonical chain') !== true) {
         throw err
       }
@@ -997,7 +1006,10 @@ export class Blockchain implements BlockchainInterface {
             }
             // Successful execution of onBlock, move the head pointer
             blocksRanCounter++
-          } catch (error: any) {
+          } catch (error) {
+            if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+              error = new Error(error)
+            }
             if ((error.message as string).includes('not found in DB')) {
               break
             } else {
diff --git a/packages/blockchain/test/blockValidation.spec.ts b/packages/blockchain/test/blockValidation.spec.ts
index 0a9a57732e..24407362ee 100644
--- a/packages/blockchain/test/blockValidation.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/blockchain/test/blockValidation.spec.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,10 @@ describe('[Blockchain]: Block validation tests', () => {
     try {
       await blockchain.putBlock(block3)
       assert.fail('cannot reach this')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         e.message.includes('uncle is already included'),
         'block throws if uncle is already included',
@@ -59,7 +62,10 @@ describe('[Blockchain]: Block validation tests', () => {
       await blockchain.putBlock(block3)
 
       assert.fail('cannot reach this')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         err.message.includes('not found in DB'),
         'block throws if uncle parent hash is not part of the canonical chain',
@@ -92,7 +98,10 @@ describe('[Blockchain]: Block validation tests', () => {
     try {
       await blockchain.putBlock(blockWithUnclesTooOld)
       assert.fail('cannot reach this')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         e.message.includes('uncle block has a parent that is too old'),
         'block throws uncle is too old',
@@ -114,7 +123,10 @@ describe('[Blockchain]: Block validation tests', () => {
     try {
       await blockchain.putBlock(block1)
       assert.fail('cannot reach this')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         e.message.includes('uncle block has a parent that is too old or too young'),
         'block throws uncle is too young',
@@ -150,7 +162,10 @@ describe('[Blockchain]: Block validation tests', () => {
     try {
       await blockchain.putBlock(block2)
       assert.fail('cannot reach this')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         e.message.includes('invalid difficulty block header number=1 '),
         'block throws when uncle header is invalid',
@@ -173,7 +188,10 @@ describe('[Blockchain]: Block validation tests', () => {
       await blockchain.putBlock(block2)
 
       assert.fail('cannot reach this')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         e.message.includes('The uncle is a canonical block'),
         'block throws if an uncle is a canonical block',
@@ -257,7 +275,10 @@ describe('[Blockchain]: Block validation tests', () => {
       )
       const block2 = createBlock({ header }, { common })
       await blockchain.putBlock(block2)
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       const expectedError = 'Invalid block: base fee not correct'
       assert.ok(
         (e.message as string).includes(expectedError),
diff --git a/packages/blockchain/test/clique.spec.ts b/packages/blockchain/test/clique.spec.ts
index 08effb50b7..298bb84def 100644
--- a/packages/blockchain/test/clique.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/blockchain/test/clique.spec.ts
@@ -235,7 +235,10 @@ describe('Clique: Initialization', () => {
     try {
       await blockchain.putBlock(block)
       assert.fail('should fail')
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         error.message.includes('checkpoint signer not found in active signers list'),
         'correct error',
@@ -266,7 +269,10 @@ describe('Clique: Initialization', () => {
     try {
       await blockchain.putBlock(block)
       assert.fail('should fail')
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         error.message.includes('difficulty for clique block must be INTURN (2) or NOTURN (1)'),
         'correct error',
@@ -292,7 +298,10 @@ describe('Clique: Initialization', () => {
     try {
       await blockchain.putBlock(block)
       assert.fail('should fail')
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       assert.ok(error.message.includes('invalid clique difficulty'), 'correct error')
     }
   })
@@ -664,7 +673,10 @@ describe('Clique: Initialization', () => {
     try {
       await addNextBlock(blockchain, blocks, B)
       assert.fail('should throw error')
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         error.message.includes('invalid PoA block signature (clique)'),
         'correct error thrown',
@@ -678,7 +690,10 @@ describe('Clique: Initialization', () => {
     try {
       await addNextBlock(blockchain, blocks, A)
       assert.fail('should throw error')
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       assert.ok(error.message.includes('recently signed'), 'correct error thrown')
     }
   })
@@ -707,7 +722,10 @@ describe('Clique: Initialization', () => {
     try {
       await addNextBlock(blockchain, blocks, A, undefined, undefined, common)
       assert.fail('should throw error')
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       assert.ok(error.message.includes('recently signed'), 'correct error thrown')
     }
   })
diff --git a/packages/blockchain/test/customConsensus.spec.ts b/packages/blockchain/test/customConsensus.spec.ts
index 7a55658637..d807585940 100644
--- a/packages/blockchain/test/customConsensus.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/blockchain/test/customConsensus.spec.ts
@@ -107,7 +107,10 @@ describe('Custom consensus validation rules', () => {
     try {
       await blockchain.putBlock(blockWithBadDifficulty)
       assert.fail('should throw')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         err.message.includes('invalid difficulty'),
         'failed to put block with invalid difficulty',
@@ -130,7 +133,10 @@ describe('Custom consensus validation rules', () => {
     try {
       await blockchain.putBlock(blockWithBadExtraData)
       assert.fail('should throw')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         err.message ===
           'header contains invalid extradata - must match first 6 elements of fibonacci sequence',
@@ -148,7 +154,10 @@ describe('consensus transition checks', () => {
     try {
       await blockchain.checkAndTransitionHardForkByNumber(5n)
       assert.ok('checkAndTransitionHardForkByNumber does not throw with custom consensus')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.fail(
         `checkAndTransitionHardForkByNumber should not throw with custom consensus, error=${err.message}`,
       )
@@ -161,7 +170,10 @@ describe('consensus transition checks', () => {
       assert.fail(
         'checkAndTransitionHardForkByNumber should throw when using standard consensus (ethash, clique, casper) but consensus algorithm defined in common is different',
       )
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes('Consensus object for ethash must be passed'))
     }
   })
diff --git a/packages/blockchain/test/index.spec.ts b/packages/blockchain/test/index.spec.ts
index 1e7fd0acbc..5b4d8ab1f3 100644
--- a/packages/blockchain/test/index.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/blockchain/test/index.spec.ts
@@ -107,7 +107,10 @@ describe('blockchain test', () => {
         validateConsensus: false,
         genesisBlock,
       })
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       assert.ok(error, 'returned with error')
     }
   })
@@ -221,7 +224,10 @@ describe('blockchain test', () => {
     try {
       await blockchain.getBlock(5)
       assert.fail('should throw an exception')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         e.message.includes('not found in DB'),
         `should throw for non-existing block-by-number request`,
@@ -231,7 +237,10 @@ describe('blockchain test', () => {
     try {
       await blockchain.getBlock(hexToBytes('0x1234'))
       assert.fail('should throw an exception')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         e.message.includes('not found in DB'),
         `should throw for non-existing block-by-hash request`,
@@ -260,14 +269,20 @@ describe('blockchain test', () => {
     try {
       await blockchain.getBlock(22)
       assert.fail('canonical references should have been deleted')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes('not found in DB'), 'canonical references correctly deleted')
     }
 
     try {
       await blockchain.getCanonicalHeader(BigInt(22))
       assert.fail('canonical references should have been deleted')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.equal(
         err.message,
         'header with number 22 not found in canonical chain',
@@ -538,7 +553,10 @@ describe('blockchain test', () => {
     try {
       await blockchain.getBlock(BigInt(2))
       assert.fail('block should not be constructed')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.equal(
         e.message,
         'uncle hash should be equal to hash of empty array',
@@ -572,7 +590,10 @@ describe('blockchain test', () => {
     try {
       await blockchain.putBlock(invalidBlock)
       assert.fail('should not validate an invalid block')
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       assert.ok(error, 'should not validate an invalid block')
     }
   })
@@ -752,7 +773,10 @@ describe('blockchain test', () => {
       let error
       try {
         await blockchain.putBlock(blocks[i])
-      } catch (err: any) {
+      } catch (err) {
+        if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+          err = new Error(err)
+        }
         error = err
       }
       if (i === 2) {
@@ -850,7 +874,10 @@ describe('initialization tests', () => {
     try {
       await blockchain.putBlock(otherGenesisBlock)
       assert.fail('putting a genesis block did not throw')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.equal(
         e.message,
         'Cannot put a different genesis block than current blockchain genesis: create a new Blockchain',
@@ -862,7 +889,10 @@ describe('initialization tests', () => {
     try {
       await createBlockchain({ genesisBlock: otherGenesisBlock, db })
       assert.fail('creating blockchain with different genesis block than in db did not throw')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.equal(
         e.message,
         'The genesis block in the DB has a different hash than the provided genesis block.',
diff --git a/packages/blockchain/test/iterator.spec.ts b/packages/blockchain/test/iterator.spec.ts
index 3edd1712ed..4ab540dec7 100644
--- a/packages/blockchain/test/iterator.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/blockchain/test/iterator.spec.ts
@@ -158,7 +158,10 @@ describe('blockchain test', () => {
       await blockchain.iterator('error', () => {
         throw new Error('iterator func error')
       })
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       assert.ok(error)
       assert.equal(error.message, 'iterator func error', 'should return correct error')
     }
diff --git a/packages/blockchain/test/util.ts b/packages/blockchain/test/util.ts
index abb88488c5..8c4ab9ab17 100644
--- a/packages/blockchain/test/util.ts
+++ b/packages/blockchain/test/util.ts
@@ -58,7 +58,10 @@ export const generateBlockchain = async (numberOfBlocks: number, genesis?: Block
   })
   try {
     await blockchain.putBlocks(blocks.slice(1))
-  } catch (error: any) {
+  } catch (error) {
+    if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+      error = new Error(error)
+    }
     return { error }
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/client/archive/libp2p/net/peer/libp2ppeer.ts b/packages/client/archive/libp2p/net/peer/libp2ppeer.ts
index 8f89e78781..188d2f87d1 100644
--- a/packages/client/archive/libp2p/net/peer/libp2ppeer.ts
+++ b/packages/client/archive/libp2p/net/peer/libp2ppeer.ts
@@ -104,7 +104,10 @@ export class Libp2pPeer extends Peer {
         try {
           const { stream } = await node.dialProtocol(peer as any, protocol)
           await this.bindProtocol(p, new Libp2pSender(stream))
-        } catch (err: any) {
+        } catch (err) {
+          if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+            err = new Error(err)
+          }
           const peerInfo = isPeerId(peer) ? `id=${peer.toB58String()}` : `multiaddr=${peer}`
           this.config.logger.debug(
             `Peer doesn't support protocol=${protocol} ${peerInfo} ${err.stack}`,
diff --git a/packages/client/bin/cli.ts b/packages/client/bin/cli.ts
index 0fc6c1bcab..c59d3c10e0 100755
--- a/packages/client/bin/cli.ts
+++ b/packages/client/bin/cli.ts
@@ -554,7 +554,7 @@ async function executeBlocks(client: EthereumClient) {
     if ((blockRange[0][1] as string[]).length > 0 && blockRange.length === 2) {
       throw new Error('wrong input')
     }
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch {
     client.config.logger.error(
       'Wrong input format for block execution, allowed format types: 5, 5-10, 5[0xba4b5fd92a26badad3cad22eb6f7c7e745053739b5f5d1e8a3afb00f8fb2a280,[TX_HASH_2],...], 5[*] (all txs in verbose mode)',
     )
@@ -580,7 +580,10 @@ async function startBlock(client: EthereumClient) {
   try {
     await client.chain.resetCanonicalHead(startBlock)
     logger.info(`Chain height reset to ${client.chain.headers.height}`)
-  } catch (err: any) {
+  } catch (err) {
+    if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+      err = new Error(err)
+    }
     logger.error(`Error setting back chain in startBlock: ${err}`)
     process.exit()
   }
@@ -616,7 +619,10 @@ async function startExecutionFrom(client: EthereumClient) {
       logger.info(
         `vmHead set to ${client.chain.headers.height} for starting stateless execution at hardfork=${startExecutionHardfork}`,
       )
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       logger.error(`Error setting vmHead for starting stateless execution: ${err}`)
       process.exit()
     }
@@ -691,7 +697,10 @@ async function startClient(
               block.header.number
             }`,
           )
-        } catch (err: any) {
+        } catch (err) {
+          if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+            err = new Error(err)
+          }
           config.logger.info(
             `Encountered error while while preloading chain data  error=${err.message}`,
           )
@@ -857,7 +866,10 @@ async function inputAccounts() {
       const derivedAddress = createAddressFromPrivateKey(privKey)
       accounts.push([derivedAddress, privKey])
     }
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch (e) {
+    if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+      e = new Error(e)
+    }
     console.error(`Encountered error unlocking account:\n${e.message}`)
     process.exit()
   }
@@ -1019,7 +1031,10 @@ async function run() {
       common = createCustomCommon(customChainParams, Mainnet, {
         customCrypto: cryptoFunctions,
       })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       console.error(err)
       console.error(`invalid chain parameters: ${err.message}`)
       process.exit()
diff --git a/packages/client/src/config.ts b/packages/client/src/config.ts
index 389e615e07..d0d2b9e2e6 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/config.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/config.ts
@@ -684,7 +684,10 @@ export class Config {
     let key
     try {
       key = await db.get(dbKey, encodingOpts)
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       if (error.code === 'LEVEL_NOT_FOUND') {
         // generate and save a new key
         key = genPrivateKey()
diff --git a/packages/client/src/execution/level.ts b/packages/client/src/execution/level.ts
index dbebf46699..d3d537eaa0 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/execution/level.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/execution/level.ts
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ export class LevelDB<
     try {
       value = await this._leveldb.get(key, encodings)
       if (value === null) return undefined
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
       // https://github.com/Level/abstract-level/blob/915ad1317694d0ce8c580b5ab85d81e1e78a3137/abstract-level.js#L309
       // This should be `true` if the error came from LevelDB
       // so we can check for `NOT true` to identify any non-404 errors
diff --git a/packages/client/src/execution/vmexecution.ts b/packages/client/src/execution/vmexecution.ts
index 37c063747a..53942f4cba 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/execution/vmexecution.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/execution/vmexecution.ts
@@ -738,7 +738,10 @@ export class VMExecution extends Execution {
                   // set as new head block
                   headBlock = block
                   parentState = block.header.stateRoot
-                } catch (error: any) {
+                } catch (error) {
+                  if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+                    error = new Error(error)
+                  }
                   // only marked the block as invalid if it was an actual execution error
                   // for e.g. absence of executionWitness doesn't make a block invalid
                   if (!`${error.message}`.includes('Invalid executionWitness=null')) {
diff --git a/packages/client/src/miner/pendingBlock.ts b/packages/client/src/miner/pendingBlock.ts
index 8fdd97c848..35571e08d3 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/miner/pendingBlock.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/miner/pendingBlock.ts
@@ -347,7 +347,10 @@ export class PendingBlock {
         skipHardForkValidation: this.skipHardForkValidation,
       })
       addTxResult = AddTxResult.Success
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       if (error.message === 'tx has a higher gas limit than the remaining gas in the block') {
         if (builder.gasUsed > (builder as any).headerData.gasLimit - BigInt(21000)) {
           // If block has less than 21000 gas remaining, consider it full
@@ -356,7 +359,7 @@ export class PendingBlock {
         } else {
           addTxResult = AddTxResult.SkippedByGasLimit
         }
-      } else if ((error as Error).message.includes('blobs missing')) {
+      } else if (error.message.includes('blobs missing') === true) {
         // Remove the blob tx which doesn't has blobs bundled
         this.txPool.removeByHash(bytesToHex(tx.hash()), tx)
         this.config.logger.error(
diff --git a/packages/client/src/net/peer/rlpxpeer.ts b/packages/client/src/net/peer/rlpxpeer.ts
index d2016f20f8..911dc14210 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/net/peer/rlpxpeer.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/net/peer/rlpxpeer.ts
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ export class RlpxPeer extends Peer {
       try {
         await this.bindProtocols(rlpxPeer)
         this.config.events.emit(Event.PEER_CONNECTED, this)
-      } catch (error: any) {
+      } catch (error) {
         this.config.events.emit(Event.PEER_ERROR, error, this)
       }
     }
diff --git a/packages/client/src/net/protocol/boundprotocol.ts b/packages/client/src/net/protocol/boundprotocol.ts
index 299d18c5d2..c4991bbc44 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/net/protocol/boundprotocol.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/net/protocol/boundprotocol.ts
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ export class BoundProtocol {
             this.config.events.emit(Event.PROTOCOL_ERROR, error, this.peer)
           }
         }
-      } catch (error: any) {
+      } catch (error) {
         this.config.events.emit(Event.PROTOCOL_ERROR, error, this.peer)
       }
     })
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ export class BoundProtocol {
     let error
     try {
       data = this.protocol.decode(message, incoming.payload)
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
       error = new Error(`Could not decode message ${message.name}: ${e}`)
     }
     const resolver = this.resolvers.get(incoming.code)
diff --git a/packages/client/src/net/protocol/rlpxsender.ts b/packages/client/src/net/protocol/rlpxsender.ts
index 9f915bf7a3..6755f8dff9 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/net/protocol/rlpxsender.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/net/protocol/rlpxsender.ts
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ export class RlpxSender extends Sender {
   sendStatus(status: any) {
     try {
       this.sender.sendStatus(status)
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
       this.emit('error', err)
     }
   }
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ export class RlpxSender extends Sender {
     try {
       //@ts-ignore "type number is not assignable to type never"
       this.sender.sendMessage(code, data)
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
       this.emit('error', err)
     }
   }
diff --git a/packages/client/src/net/server/rlpxserver.ts b/packages/client/src/net/server/rlpxserver.ts
index 1b02ce48c5..cdf0bbd769 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/net/server/rlpxserver.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/net/server/rlpxserver.ts
@@ -158,7 +158,10 @@ export class RlpxServer extends Server {
     for (const promise of promises) {
       try {
         await promise
-      } catch (e: any) {
+      } catch (e) {
+        if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+          e = new Error(e)
+        }
         this.error(e)
       }
     }
@@ -277,7 +280,10 @@ export class RlpxServer extends Server {
           this.peers.set(peer.id, peer)
           this.config.logger.debug(`Peer connected: ${peer}`)
           this.config.events.emit(Event.PEER_CONNECTED, peer)
-        } catch (error: any) {
+        } catch (error) {
+          if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+            error = new Error(error)
+          }
           // Fixes a memory leak where RlpxPeer objects could not be GCed,
           // likely to the complex two-way bound-protocol logic
           peer = null
diff --git a/packages/client/src/rpc/helpers.ts b/packages/client/src/rpc/helpers.ts
index 24cc138b40..af885f86f5 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/rpc/helpers.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/rpc/helpers.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ export function callWithStackTrace(handler: Function, debug: boolean) {
     try {
       const res = await handler(...args)
       return res
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
       const e: RPCError = {
         code: error.code ?? INTERNAL_ERROR,
         message: error.message,
diff --git a/packages/client/src/rpc/index.ts b/packages/client/src/rpc/index.ts
index ced41f3981..67bac8c70e 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/rpc/index.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/rpc/index.ts
@@ -46,7 +46,10 @@ export class RPCManager {
         methods[concatenatedMethodName] = mod[methodName].bind((...params: any[]) => {
           try {
             mod(...params)
-          } catch (error: any) {
+          } catch (error) {
+            if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+              error = new Error(error)
+            }
             throw {
               code: INTERNAL_ERROR,
               message: error.message ?? error,
diff --git a/packages/client/src/rpc/modules/debug.ts b/packages/client/src/rpc/modules/debug.ts
index 0ee2ad639b..cd2e1298a3 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/rpc/modules/debug.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/rpc/modules/debug.ts
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ export class Debug {
     try {
       // Validator already verified that `blockHash` is properly formatted.
       block = await this.chain.getBlock(hexToBytes(blockHash))
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch {
       throw {
         code: INTERNAL_ERROR,
         message: 'Could not get requested block hash.',
diff --git a/packages/client/src/rpc/modules/engine/engine.ts b/packages/client/src/rpc/modules/engine/engine.ts
index 47d9abe161..f2898fab2d 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/rpc/modules/engine/engine.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/rpc/modules/engine/engine.ts
@@ -447,7 +447,7 @@ export class Engine {
       if (headBlock.common.isActivatedEIP(4844)) {
         try {
           headBlock.validateBlobTransactions(parent.header)
-        } catch (error: any) {
+        } catch {
           const validationError = `Invalid 4844 transactions: ${error}`
           const latestValidHash = await validHash(
             hexToBytes(parentHash as PrefixedHexString),
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ export class Engine {
       if (!executedParentExists) {
         throw new Error(`Parent block not yet executed number=${parent.header.number}`)
       }
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch {
       // Stash the block for a potential forced forkchoice update to it later.
       this.remoteBlocks.set(bytesToUnprefixedHex(headBlock.hash()), headBlock)
 
@@ -1380,7 +1380,7 @@ export class Engine {
         BigInt(executionPayload.executionPayload.timestamp),
       )
       return executionPayload
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
       if (validEngineCodes.includes(error.code)) throw error
       throw {
         code: INTERNAL_ERROR,
diff --git a/packages/client/src/rpc/modules/engine/util/generic.ts b/packages/client/src/rpc/modules/engine/util/generic.ts
index ad231ea6dc..9ef3345b96 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/rpc/modules/engine/util/generic.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/rpc/modules/engine/util/generic.ts
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ export const validExecutedChainBlock = async (
 
     // if the block was canonical and executed we would have returned by now
     return null
-  } catch (error: any) {
+  } catch {
     return null
   }
 }
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ export const validHash = async (
         hash = validParent.header.parentHash
       }
     }
-  } catch (_error: any) {
+  } catch {
     // ignore error thrown by the loop and return null below
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/client/src/rpc/modules/eth.ts b/packages/client/src/rpc/modules/eth.ts
index d34c4434f8..41fbf16fec 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/rpc/modules/eth.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/rpc/modules/eth.ts
@@ -819,7 +819,10 @@ export class Eth {
 
       const tx = block.transactions[txIndex]
       return toJSONRPCTx(tx, block, txIndex)
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       throw {
         code: INVALID_PARAMS,
         message: error.message.toString(),
@@ -844,7 +847,10 @@ export class Eth {
 
       const tx = block.transactions[txIndex]
       return toJSONRPCTx(tx, block, txIndex)
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       throw {
         code: INVALID_PARAMS,
         message: error.message.toString(),
@@ -1070,7 +1076,7 @@ export class Eth {
     if (blockHash !== undefined) {
       try {
         from = to = await this._chain.getBlock(hexToBytes(blockHash))
-      } catch (error: any) {
+      } catch {
         throw {
           code: INVALID_PARAMS,
           message: 'unknown blockHash',
@@ -1189,7 +1195,10 @@ export class Eth {
       } else {
         tx = createTxFromRLP(txBuf, { common })
       }
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       throw {
         code: PARSE_ERROR,
         message: `serialized tx data could not be parsed (${e.message})`,
@@ -1209,7 +1218,10 @@ export class Eth {
     try {
       await txPool.add(tx, true)
       txPool.sendNewTxHashes([[tx.type], [tx.serialize().byteLength], [tx.hash()]], pool.peers)
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       throw {
         code: INVALID_PARAMS,
         message: error.message ?? error.toString(),
diff --git a/packages/client/src/service/service.ts b/packages/client/src/service/service.ts
index 5b9aee525a..3a4c1ec05b 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/service/service.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/service/service.ts
@@ -84,7 +84,10 @@ export class Service {
       if (this.running) {
         try {
           await this.handle(message, protocol, peer)
-        } catch (error: any) {
+        } catch (error) {
+          if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+            error = new Error(error)
+          }
           this.config.logger.debug(
             `Error handling message (${protocol}:${message.name}): ${error.message}`,
           )
diff --git a/packages/client/src/service/skeleton.ts b/packages/client/src/service/skeleton.ts
index 8401285ea1..bde837ade6 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/service/skeleton.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/service/skeleton.ts
@@ -1401,7 +1401,7 @@ export class Skeleton extends MetaDBManager {
         throw Error(`SkeletonBlock rlp lookup failed for ${number} onlyCanonical=${onlyCanonical}`)
       }
       return this.skeletonBlockRlpToBlock(skeletonBlockRlp)
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch {
       // If skeleton is linked, it probably has deleted the block and put it into the chain
       if (onlyCanonical && !this.status.linked) return undefined
       // As a fallback, try to get the block from the canonical chain in case it is available there
@@ -1474,7 +1474,7 @@ export class Skeleton extends MetaDBManager {
       await this.delete(DBKey.SkeletonBlockHashToNumber, block.hash())
       await this.delete(DBKey.SkeletonUnfinalizedBlockByHash, block.hash())
       return true
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch {
       return false
     }
   }
diff --git a/packages/client/src/service/txpool.ts b/packages/client/src/service/txpool.ts
index ec9dba5412..a7cafb788f 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/service/txpool.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/service/txpool.ts
@@ -577,7 +577,10 @@ export class TxPool {
         newTxHashes[0].push(tx.type)
         newTxHashes[1].push(tx.serialize().byteLength)
         newTxHashes[2].push(tx.hash())
-      } catch (error: any) {
+      } catch (error) {
+        if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+          error = new Error(error)
+        }
         this.config.logger.debug(
           `Error adding tx to TxPool: ${error.message} (tx hash: ${bytesToHex(tx.hash())})`,
         )
@@ -636,7 +639,10 @@ export class TxPool {
     for (const tx of txs) {
       try {
         await this.add(tx)
-      } catch (error: any) {
+      } catch (error) {
+        if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+          error = new Error(error)
+        }
         this.config.logger.debug(
           `Error adding tx to TxPool: ${error.message} (tx hash: ${bytesToHex(tx.hash())})`,
         )
diff --git a/packages/client/src/sync/beaconsync.ts b/packages/client/src/sync/beaconsync.ts
index f419b698b1..42eefa17ab 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/sync/beaconsync.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/sync/beaconsync.ts
@@ -141,7 +141,10 @@ export class BeaconSynchronizer extends Synchronizer {
       while (this.running) {
         try {
           await this.sync()
-        } catch (error: any) {
+        } catch (error) {
+          if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+            error = new Error(error)
+          }
           this.config.logger.error(`Beacon sync error: ${error.message}`)
           this.config.events.emit(Event.SYNC_ERROR, error)
         }
diff --git a/packages/client/src/sync/fetcher/blockfetcher.ts b/packages/client/src/sync/fetcher/blockfetcher.ts
index 7aa6b1091b..d875ef51a8 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/sync/fetcher/blockfetcher.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/sync/fetcher/blockfetcher.ts
@@ -147,7 +147,10 @@ export class BlockFetcher extends BlockFetcherBase<Block[], Block> {
           } last=${blocks[blocks.length - 1]?.header.number})`,
         )
       this.config.events.emit(Event.SYNC_FETCHED_BLOCKS, blocks.slice(0, num))
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       this.DEBUG &&
         this.debug(
           `Error storing fetcher results in blockchain (blocks num=${blocks.length} first=${
diff --git a/packages/client/src/sync/fetcher/fetcher.ts b/packages/client/src/sync/fetcher/fetcher.ts
index 5229b2efc3..78cba1841a 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/sync/fetcher/fetcher.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/sync/fetcher/fetcher.ts
@@ -460,7 +460,10 @@ export abstract class Fetcher<JobTask, JobResult, StorageItem> extends Readable
         }
         this.finished += jobItems.length
         cb()
-      } catch (error: any) {
+      } catch (error) {
+        if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+          error = new Error(error)
+        }
         this.config.logger.warn(`Error storing received block or header result: ${error}`)
         const { destroyFetcher, banPeer, stepBack } = this.processStoreError(
           error,
diff --git a/packages/client/src/sync/fetcher/headerfetcher.ts b/packages/client/src/sync/fetcher/headerfetcher.ts
index 940fbd6492..fa84f9b5af 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/sync/fetcher/headerfetcher.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/sync/fetcher/headerfetcher.ts
@@ -96,7 +96,10 @@ export class HeaderFetcher extends BlockFetcherBase<BlockHeaderResult, BlockHead
           } last=${headers[headers.length - 1]?.number})`,
         )
       this.config.events.emit(Event.SYNC_FETCHED_HEADERS, headers.slice(0, num))
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       this.DEBUG &&
         this.debug(
           `Error storing fetcher results in blockchain (headers num=${headers.length} first=${
diff --git a/packages/client/src/sync/fetcher/reverseblockfetcher.ts b/packages/client/src/sync/fetcher/reverseblockfetcher.ts
index 0247b7481f..bfe593eb36 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/sync/fetcher/reverseblockfetcher.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/sync/fetcher/reverseblockfetcher.ts
@@ -43,7 +43,10 @@ export class ReverseBlockFetcher extends BlockFetcher {
           } last=${blocks[blocks.length - 1]?.header.number})`,
         )
       this.config.events.emit(Event.SYNC_FETCHED_BLOCKS, blocks.slice(0, num))
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       if (e === errSyncMerged) {
         // Tear down the syncer to restart from new subchain segments
         this.DEBUG && this.debug('Skeleton subchains merged, restarting sync')
diff --git a/packages/client/src/sync/fetcher/storagefetcher.ts b/packages/client/src/sync/fetcher/storagefetcher.ts
index 0771f08c94..be1d589ce5 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/sync/fetcher/storagefetcher.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/sync/fetcher/storagefetcher.ts
@@ -172,7 +172,10 @@ export class StorageFetcher extends Fetcher<JobTask, StorageData[][], StorageDat
         origin = bigIntToBytes(first + BIGINT_1)
       }
       return setLengthLeft(origin, 32)
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       this.DEBUG && this.debug(e)
     }
     return new Uint8Array(0)
diff --git a/packages/client/src/sync/snapsync.ts b/packages/client/src/sync/snapsync.ts
index 17ec45aecd..c2d03e9c98 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/sync/snapsync.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/sync/snapsync.ts
@@ -111,7 +111,10 @@ export class SnapSynchronizer extends Synchronizer {
     }, this.interval * 30)
     try {
       await this.sync()
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       this.config.logger.error(`Snap sync error: ${error.message}`)
       this.config.events.emit(Event.SYNC_ERROR, error)
     }
diff --git a/packages/client/src/sync/sync.ts b/packages/client/src/sync/sync.ts
index 53ce2d018c..3c5ae2d596 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/sync/sync.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/sync/sync.ts
@@ -132,7 +132,10 @@ export abstract class Synchronizer {
     while (this.running && !this.config.chainCommon.gteHardfork(Hardfork.Paris)) {
       try {
         await this.sync()
-      } catch (error: any) {
+      } catch (error) {
+        if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+          error = new Error(error)
+        }
         this.config.events.emit(Event.SYNC_ERROR, error)
       }
       await wait(this.interval)
@@ -159,7 +162,10 @@ export abstract class Synchronizer {
       }
       this.config.logger.debug(`Fetcher finished fetching...`)
       return this.resolveSync()
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       this.config.logger.error(
         `Received sync error, stopping sync and clearing fetcher: ${error.message ?? error}`,
       )
diff --git a/packages/client/src/util/metaDBManager.ts b/packages/client/src/util/metaDBManager.ts
index a553cc8c44..23e8e19148 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/util/metaDBManager.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/util/metaDBManager.ts
@@ -59,7 +59,10 @@ export class MetaDBManager {
   async get(type: DBKey, hash: Uint8Array): Promise<Uint8Array | null> {
     try {
       return await this.metaDB.get(this.dbKey(type, hash), encodingOpts)
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       if (error.code === 'LEVEL_NOT_FOUND') {
         return null
       }
diff --git a/packages/client/src/util/parse.ts b/packages/client/src/util/parse.ts
index a62f8c26d8..bde051d47c 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/util/parse.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/util/parse.ts
@@ -66,7 +66,10 @@ export function parseMultiaddrs(input: MultiaddrLike): Multiaddr[] {
       }
       throw new Error(`Unable to parse bootnode URL: ${s}`)
     })
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch (e) {
+    if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+      e = new Error(e)
+    }
     throw new Error(`Invalid bootnode URLs: ${e.message}`)
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/client/test/cli/cli.spec.ts b/packages/client/test/cli/cli.spec.ts
index 8b5e0ad51f..c8a195d64f 100644
--- a/packages/client/test/cli/cli.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/client/test/cli/cli.spec.ts
@@ -148,7 +148,10 @@ describe('[CLI]', () => {
           await wait(600)
           const client = Client.http({ port: 7777 })
           await client.request('engine_exchangeCapabilities', [], 2.0)
-        } catch (e: any) {
+        } catch (e) {
+          if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+            e = new Error(e)
+          }
           assert(
             e.message.includes('Unauthorized: Error: Missing auth header'),
             'authentication failure shows that auth is defaulting to active',
@@ -347,7 +350,10 @@ describe('[CLI]', () => {
         try {
           await clientNoConnection.request('web3_clientVersion', [], 2.0)
           assert.fail('should have thrown on invalid client address')
-        } catch (e: any) {
+        } catch (e) {
+          if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+            e = new Error(e)
+          }
           assert.ok(e !== undefined, 'failed to connect to RPC on invalid address')
           child.kill()
           resolve(undefined)
diff --git a/packages/client/test/integration/beaconsync.spec.ts b/packages/client/test/integration/beaconsync.spec.ts
index de3a673a03..f63baeca32 100644
--- a/packages/client/test/integration/beaconsync.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/client/test/integration/beaconsync.spec.ts
@@ -51,7 +51,10 @@ describe('should not sync with stale peers', async () => {
       await localServer.discover('remotePeer', '127.0.0.2')
       await wait(300)
       assert.fail('should not sync')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok('did not sync')
     }
   })
diff --git a/packages/client/test/logging.spec.ts b/packages/client/test/logging.spec.ts
index 84438dc59f..e8dfc89a02 100644
--- a/packages/client/test/logging.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/client/test/logging.spec.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,10 @@ describe('[Logging]', () => {
   it('should log error stacks properly', () => {
     try {
       throw new Error('an error')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       e.level = 'error'
       assert.ok(
         /an error\n {4}at/.test((format.transform(e) as any).message),
diff --git a/packages/client/test/net/protocol/boundprotocol.spec.ts b/packages/client/test/net/protocol/boundprotocol.spec.ts
index ea82ec3d66..afc958ce9b 100644
--- a/packages/client/test/net/protocol/boundprotocol.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/client/test/net/protocol/boundprotocol.spec.ts
@@ -127,7 +127,10 @@ describe('[BoundProtocol]', () => {
     td.when(protocol.decode(testResponse, '2')).thenThrow(new Error('error1'))
     try {
       await bound.request('TestMessage', 1)
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(/error1/.test(err.message), 'got error')
     }
   })
@@ -143,7 +146,10 @@ describe('[BoundProtocol]', () => {
     })
     try {
       await bound.request('TestMessage', {})
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(/timed out/.test(err.message), 'got error')
     }
   })
diff --git a/packages/client/test/net/protocol/protocol.spec.ts b/packages/client/test/net/protocol/protocol.spec.ts
index 0798f13f89..018d359399 100644
--- a/packages/client/test/net/protocol/protocol.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/client/test/net/protocol/protocol.spec.ts
@@ -81,7 +81,10 @@ describe('[Protocol]', () => {
     }, 101)
     try {
       await p.handshake(sender)
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(/timed out/.test(e.message), 'got timeout error')
     }
   })
diff --git a/packages/client/test/rpc/rpc.spec.ts b/packages/client/test/rpc/rpc.spec.ts
index a9de741234..8c19b076e2 100644
--- a/packages/client/test/rpc/rpc.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/client/test/rpc/rpc.spec.ts
@@ -27,7 +27,10 @@ describe('JSON-RPC call', () => {
     try {
       await rpc.request(req, [])
       assert.fail('should error when request not authenticated by JWT')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.equal(err.code, 401, 'unauthorized request')
     }
   })
@@ -44,7 +47,10 @@ describe('JSON-RPC call', () => {
     try {
       await rpc.request(req, [])
       assert.fail('should have thrown an error')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.equal(err.code, 401, 'errored with invalid token')
     }
   })
@@ -63,7 +69,10 @@ describe('JSON-RPC call', () => {
     try {
       await rpc.request(req, [])
       assert.fail('should have thrown an error')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.equal(err.code, 401, 'errored with invalid token')
       assert.equal(err.message, 'Unauthorized: Error: Signature verification failed')
     }
@@ -104,7 +113,10 @@ describe('JSON-RPC call', () => {
     try {
       await rpc.request(req, [])
       assert.fail('should have thrown an error')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.equal(err.code, 401, 'errored with valid but stale token')
       assert.ok(err.message.includes('Stale jwt'), 'valid but stale token')
     }
@@ -141,7 +153,10 @@ describe('JSON-RPC call', () => {
     try {
       await rpc.request('protected_METHOD_DOES_NOT_EXIST', ['0x1', true])
       assert.fail('should have thrown')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.equal(err.code, 401, 'errored with unauthorized')
       assert.ok(err.message.includes('Missing auth header'), 'no auth token provided')
     }
diff --git a/packages/client/test/rpc/websocket.spec.ts b/packages/client/test/rpc/websocket.spec.ts
index 6dacd73197..32bf3e4472 100644
--- a/packages/client/test/rpc/websocket.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/client/test/rpc/websocket.spec.ts
@@ -36,7 +36,10 @@ describe('JSON-RPC call', () => {
           resolve(undefined)
         })
       })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.fail(err)
     }
   })
@@ -70,7 +73,10 @@ describe('JSON-RPC call', () => {
           resolve(undefined)
         })
       })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.fail(err)
     }
   })
diff --git a/packages/client/test/sim/beaconsync.spec.ts b/packages/client/test/sim/beaconsync.spec.ts
index 06407ee97a..18ea5611b6 100644
--- a/packages/client/test/sim/beaconsync.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/client/test/sim/beaconsync.spec.ts
@@ -76,7 +76,10 @@ describe('simple mainnet test run', async () => {
     try {
       await waitForELStart(client)
       assert.ok(true, 'geth<>lodestar started successfully')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.fail(e.message + ': geth<>lodestar failed to start')
     }
   }, 60000)
diff --git a/packages/client/test/sim/txGenerator.ts b/packages/client/test/sim/txGenerator.ts
index cd6698d863..e0c027539c 100644
--- a/packages/client/test/sim/txGenerator.ts
+++ b/packages/client/test/sim/txGenerator.ts
@@ -158,7 +158,10 @@ async function run(data: any) {
         await sleep(1000)
       }
     }
-  } catch (error: any) {
+  } catch (error) {
+    if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+      error = new Error(error)
+    }
     console.log(error)
     console.log(`Error retrieving blocks from ${error.config.url}: ${error.response.data}`)
     return false
diff --git a/packages/client/test/sync/fetcher/blockfetcher.spec.ts b/packages/client/test/sync/fetcher/blockfetcher.spec.ts
index 15c04cd7f1..bd936d1d42 100644
--- a/packages/client/test/sync/fetcher/blockfetcher.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/client/test/sync/fetcher/blockfetcher.spec.ts
@@ -249,7 +249,10 @@ describe('store()', async () => {
     try {
       await fetcher.store([])
       assert.fail('fetcher store should have errored')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.equal(err.message, 'could not find parent header', 'store() threw on invalid block')
       const { destroyFetcher, banPeer } = fetcher.processStoreError(err, {
         first: BigInt(1),
diff --git a/packages/client/test/sync/fetcher/headerfetcher.spec.ts b/packages/client/test/sync/fetcher/headerfetcher.spec.ts
index 83eb52baca..a0929ce4d0 100644
--- a/packages/client/test/sync/fetcher/headerfetcher.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/client/test/sync/fetcher/headerfetcher.spec.ts
@@ -115,7 +115,10 @@ describe('store()', async () => {
     try {
       await fetcher.store([0 as any])
       assert.fail('should fail')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.equal(err.message, 'err0', 'store() threw on invalid header')
     }
   })
diff --git a/packages/client/test/sync/fetcher/reverseblockfetcher.spec.ts b/packages/client/test/sync/fetcher/reverseblockfetcher.spec.ts
index 867cf84a47..1d395761a7 100644
--- a/packages/client/test/sync/fetcher/reverseblockfetcher.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/client/test/sync/fetcher/reverseblockfetcher.spec.ts
@@ -265,7 +265,10 @@ describe('store()', async () => {
     try {
       await fetcher.store([])
       assert.fail('fetcher store should have errored')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.equal(
         err.message,
         `Blocks don't extend canonical subchain`,
diff --git a/packages/client/test/sync/fetcher/trienodefetcher.spec.ts b/packages/client/test/sync/fetcher/trienodefetcher.spec.ts
index 64303e1d69..dab7d6cb64 100644
--- a/packages/client/test/sync/fetcher/trienodefetcher.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/client/test/sync/fetcher/trienodefetcher.spec.ts
@@ -184,7 +184,10 @@ describe('[TrieNodeFetcher]', async () => {
     try {
       await fetcher.store(undefined as any)
       assert.ok('should run without error')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.fail(err.message)
     }
   })
diff --git a/packages/client/test/sync/fullsync.spec.ts b/packages/client/test/sync/fullsync.spec.ts
index 0df617ac9e..2b5c6bb52d 100644
--- a/packages/client/test/sync/fullsync.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/client/test/sync/fullsync.spec.ts
@@ -167,7 +167,10 @@ describe('[FullSynchronizer]', async () => {
     BlockFetcher.prototype.fetch = vi.fn().mockRejectedValue(new Error('err0'))
     try {
       await sync.sync()
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.equal(err.message, 'err0', 'got error')
       await sync.stop()
       await sync.close()
diff --git a/packages/client/test/sync/lightsync.spec.ts b/packages/client/test/sync/lightsync.spec.ts
index e8d718e1fb..f06678c709 100644
--- a/packages/client/test/sync/lightsync.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/client/test/sync/lightsync.spec.ts
@@ -99,7 +99,10 @@ describe('[LightSynchronizer]', async () => {
     td.when(HeaderFetcher.prototype.fetch()).thenReject(new Error('err0'))
     try {
       await sync.sync()
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.equal(err.message, 'err0', 'got error')
       await sync.stop()
       await sync.close()
diff --git a/packages/client/test/sync/skeleton.spec.ts b/packages/client/test/sync/skeleton.spec.ts
index e8e7b9eb6e..1f3670754a 100644
--- a/packages/client/test/sync/skeleton.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/client/test/sync/skeleton.spec.ts
@@ -56,7 +56,10 @@ describe('[Skeleton]/ startup scenarios ', () => {
     try {
       await skeleton.reset()
       assert.fail('should have thrown')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes('skeleton reset'), 'throws when skeleton sync not started')
     }
     await skeleton.open()
@@ -366,7 +369,10 @@ describe('[Skeleton] / setHead', async () => {
         } else {
           assert.ok(true, `test ${testCaseIndex}: successfully passed`)
         }
-      } catch (error: any) {
+      } catch (error) {
+        if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+          error = new Error(error)
+        }
         if (
           typeof testCase.err?.message === 'string' &&
           (error.message as string).includes(testCase.err.message)
@@ -867,7 +873,10 @@ describe('[Skeleton] / setHead', async () => {
     )
     try {
       await skeleton.setHead(block5, false)
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       if (error !== errReorgDenied) {
         assert.fail(error)
       }
@@ -882,7 +891,10 @@ describe('[Skeleton] / setHead', async () => {
     await skeleton.initSync(block4PoS)
     try {
       await skeleton.putBlocks([block3PoS])
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       if (error !== errSyncMerged) {
         assert.fail(error)
       }
diff --git a/packages/client/test/sync/txpool.spec.ts b/packages/client/test/sync/txpool.spec.ts
index 57fbd98ed1..88679cd745 100644
--- a/packages/client/test/sync/txpool.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/client/test/sync/txpool.spec.ts
@@ -142,7 +142,10 @@ const handleTxs = async (
     pool.stop()
     pool.close()
     return true
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch (e) {
+    if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+      e = new Error(e)
+    }
     pool.stop()
     pool.close()
 
@@ -420,7 +423,10 @@ describe('[TxPool]', async () => {
     try {
       await pool.add(txA02_Underpriced)
       assert.fail('should fail adding underpriced txn to txpool')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         e.message.includes('replacement gas too low'),
         'successfully failed adding underpriced txn',
diff --git a/packages/common/src/utils.ts b/packages/common/src/utils.ts
index 6fcbc92f44..e47f6a3add 100644
--- a/packages/common/src/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/common/src/utils.ts
@@ -238,7 +238,10 @@ export function parseGethGenesis(json: any, name?: string) {
       finalJSON.name = name
     }
     return parseGethParams(finalJSON)
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch (e) {
+    if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+      e = new Error(e)
+    }
     throw new Error(`Error parsing parameters file: ${e.message}`)
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/common/test/utils.spec.ts b/packages/common/test/utils.spec.ts
index c418aa8e51..737287e06d 100644
--- a/packages/common/test/utils.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/common/test/utils.spec.ts
@@ -70,7 +70,10 @@ describe('[Utils/Parse]', () => {
     try {
       createCommonFromGethGenesis(mergeAtGenesisData, {})
       assert.fail('should have thrown')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes('nonzero terminal total difficulty'))
     }
   })
diff --git a/packages/devp2p/src/dns/dns.ts b/packages/devp2p/src/dns/dns.ts
index 2b0ad7226a..7e3b60d186 100644
--- a/packages/devp2p/src/dns/dns.ts
+++ b/packages/devp2p/src/dns/dns.ts
@@ -102,7 +102,10 @@ export class DNS {
         default:
           return null
       }
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       if (this.DEBUG) {
         debug(`Errored searching DNS tree at subdomain ${subdomain}: ${error}`)
       }
diff --git a/packages/devp2p/src/dpt/dpt.ts b/packages/devp2p/src/dpt/dpt.ts
index 8a6b2341c7..48afa69a21 100644
--- a/packages/devp2p/src/dpt/dpt.ts
+++ b/packages/devp2p/src/dpt/dpt.ts
@@ -139,7 +139,10 @@ export class DPT {
       if (peer.id !== undefined) {
         this._confirmedPeers.add(bytesToUnprefixedHex(peer.id))
       }
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       this.events.emit('error', error)
       return
     }
@@ -165,7 +168,10 @@ export class DPT {
       this.events.emit('peer:new', peer)
       this._kbucket.add(peer)
       return peer
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       this._banlist.add(obj, 300000) // 5 min * 60 * 1000
       throw err
     }
diff --git a/packages/devp2p/src/dpt/server.ts b/packages/devp2p/src/dpt/server.ts
index 3fea7d07a7..1cc43538de 100644
--- a/packages/devp2p/src/dpt/server.ts
+++ b/packages/devp2p/src/dpt/server.ts
@@ -54,7 +54,10 @@ export class Server {
       this._socket.on('message', (msg: Uint8Array, rinfo: RemoteInfo) => {
         try {
           this._handler(msg, rinfo)
-        } catch (err: any) {
+        } catch (err) {
+          if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+            err = new Error(err)
+          }
           this.events.emit('error', err)
         }
       })
diff --git a/packages/devp2p/src/rlpx/peer.ts b/packages/devp2p/src/rlpx/peer.ts
index 276cba03d3..aa788a5dcc 100644
--- a/packages/devp2p/src/rlpx/peer.ts
+++ b/packages/devp2p/src/rlpx/peer.ts
@@ -598,7 +598,10 @@ export class Peer {
       if (protocolName === 'Peer') {
         try {
           payload = RLP.decode(payload)
-        } catch (e: any) {
+        } catch (e) {
+          if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+            e = new Error(e)
+          }
           if (msgCode === PREFIXES.DISCONNECT) {
             if (compressed) {
               payload = RLP.decode(origPayload)
@@ -611,7 +614,10 @@ export class Peer {
         }
       }
       protocolObj.protocol._handleMessage?.(msgCode, payload)
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       this.disconnect(DISCONNECT_REASON.SUBPROTOCOL_ERROR)
       this.DEBUG && this._logger(`Error on peer subprotocol message handling: ${err}`)
       this.events.emit('error', err)
@@ -643,7 +649,10 @@ export class Peer {
             break
         }
       }
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       this.disconnect(DISCONNECT_REASON.SUBPROTOCOL_ERROR)
       this.DEBUG && this._logger(`Error on peer socket data handling: ${err}`)
       this.events.emit('error', err)
diff --git a/packages/devp2p/test/enr.spec.ts b/packages/devp2p/test/enr.spec.ts
index dba85aec43..a5a63e3052 100644
--- a/packages/devp2p/test/enr.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/devp2p/test/enr.spec.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,10 @@ describe('ENR tests', () => {
   it('ENR (root): should error if DNS root entry is mis-prefixed', () => {
     try {
       ENR.parseAndVerifyRoot(dns.enrRootBadPrefix, dns.publicKey)
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         e.toString().includes("ENR root entry must start with 'enrtree-root:'"),
         'has correct error message',
@@ -27,7 +30,10 @@ describe('ENR tests', () => {
   it('ENR (root): should error if DNS root entry signature is invalid', () => {
     try {
       ENR.parseAndVerifyRoot(dns.enrRootBadSig, dns.publicKey)
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         e.toString().includes('Unable to verify ENR root signature'),
         'has correct error message',
@@ -38,7 +44,10 @@ describe('ENR tests', () => {
   it('ENR (root): should error if DNS root entry is malformed', () => {
     try {
       ENR.parseAndVerifyRoot(dns.enrRootMalformed, dns.publicKey)
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         e.toString().includes("Could not parse 'l' value from ENR root entry"),
         'has correct error message',
@@ -57,7 +66,10 @@ describe('ENR tests', () => {
   it('ENR (tree): should error if DNS tree entry is mis-prefixed', () => {
     try {
       ENR.parseTree(dns.enrTreeBadPrefix)
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         e.toString().includes("ENR tree entry must start with 'enrtree:'"),
         'has correct error message',
@@ -68,7 +80,10 @@ describe('ENR tests', () => {
   it('ENR (tree): should error if DNS tree entry is misformatted', () => {
     try {
       ENR.parseTree(dns.enrTreeMalformed)
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         e.toString().includes('Could not parse domain from ENR tree entry'),
         'has correct error message',
@@ -93,7 +108,10 @@ describe('ENR tests', () => {
   it('ENR (branch): should error if DNS branch entry is mis-prefixed', () => {
     try {
       ENR.parseBranch(dns.enrBranchBadPrefix)
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         e.toString().includes("ENR branch entry must start with 'enrtree-branch:'"),
         'has correct error message',
@@ -120,7 +138,10 @@ describe('ENR tests', () => {
   it('ENR (enr): should error if record mis-prefixed', () => {
     try {
       ENR.parseAndVerifyRecord(dns.enrBadPrefix)
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         e.toString().includes("String encoded ENR must start with 'enr:'"),
         'has correct error message',
diff --git a/packages/devp2p/test/integration/eth-simulator.spec.ts b/packages/devp2p/test/integration/eth-simulator.spec.ts
index 186bea401c..4bc47c4802 100644
--- a/packages/devp2p/test/integration/eth-simulator.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/devp2p/test/integration/eth-simulator.spec.ts
@@ -107,7 +107,10 @@ describe('ETH simulator tests', () => {
       opts.onOnceStatus0 = function (rlpxs: any, eth: any) {
         try {
           eth.sendMessage(expectedCode, [])
-        } catch (err: any) {
+        } catch (err) {
+          if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+            err = new Error(err)
+          }
           const msg = `Error: Code ${expectedCode} not allowed with version ${version}`
           assert.equal(err.toString(), msg, `should emit error: ${msg}`)
           util.destroyRLPXs(rlpxs)
@@ -208,7 +211,10 @@ describe('ETH simulator tests', () => {
       opts.onOnceStatus0 = function (rlpxs: any, eth: any) {
         try {
           eth.sendMessage(0x55, [])
-        } catch (err: any) {
+        } catch (err) {
+          if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+            err = new Error(err)
+          }
           const msg = 'Error: Unknown code 85'
           assert.equal(err.toString(), msg, `should emit error: ${msg}`)
           util.destroyRLPXs(rlpxs)
@@ -227,7 +233,10 @@ describe('ETH simulator tests', () => {
       opts.onOnceStatus0 = function (rlpxs: any, eth: any) {
         try {
           eth.sendMessage(devp2p.ETH.MESSAGE_CODES.STATUS, [])
-        } catch (err: any) {
+        } catch (err) {
+          if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+            err = new Error(err)
+          }
           const msg = 'Error: Please send status message through .sendStatus'
           assert.equal(err.toString(), msg, `should emit error: ${msg}`)
           util.destroyRLPXs(rlpxs)
diff --git a/packages/devp2p/test/integration/les-simulator.spec.ts b/packages/devp2p/test/integration/les-simulator.spec.ts
index 610f85eed5..e53a96f037 100644
--- a/packages/devp2p/test/integration/les-simulator.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/devp2p/test/integration/les-simulator.spec.ts
@@ -116,7 +116,10 @@ describe('LES simulator tests', () => {
       opts.onOnceStatus0 = function (rlpxs: any, les: any) {
         try {
           les.sendMessage(0x55, [1, []])
-        } catch (err: any) {
+        } catch (err) {
+          if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+            err = new Error(err)
+          }
           const msg = 'Error: Unknown code 85'
           assert.equal(err.toString(), msg, `should emit error: ${msg}`)
           util.destroyRLPXs(rlpxs)
@@ -135,7 +138,10 @@ describe('LES simulator tests', () => {
       opts.onOnceStatus0 = function (rlpxs: any, les: any) {
         try {
           les.sendMessage(devp2p.ETH.MESSAGE_CODES.STATUS, 1, [])
-        } catch (err: any) {
+        } catch (err) {
+          if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+            err = new Error(err)
+          }
           const msg = 'Error: Please send status message through .sendStatus'
           assert.equal(err.toString(), msg, `should emit error: ${msg}`)
           util.destroyRLPXs(rlpxs)
diff --git a/packages/devp2p/test/integration/snap-simulator.spec.ts b/packages/devp2p/test/integration/snap-simulator.spec.ts
index 5d43bdbce8..6bc1fce9f0 100644
--- a/packages/devp2p/test/integration/snap-simulator.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/devp2p/test/integration/snap-simulator.spec.ts
@@ -31,7 +31,10 @@ describe('Snap sync simulator tests', () => {
     opts.sendMessage = function (rlpxs: any, snap: any) {
       try {
         snap.sendMessage(0x55, [1, []])
-      } catch (err: any) {
+      } catch (err) {
+        if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+          err = new Error(err)
+        }
         const msg = 'Error: Unknown code 85'
         assert.equal(err.toString(), msg, `should emit error: ${msg}`)
         util.destroyRLPXs(rlpxs)
diff --git a/packages/devp2p/test/rlpx.spec.ts b/packages/devp2p/test/rlpx.spec.ts
index 04262069e6..e956ed9309 100644
--- a/packages/devp2p/test/rlpx.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/devp2p/test/rlpx.spec.ts
@@ -147,7 +147,10 @@ describe('RLPx', () => {
     try {
       await rlpx.connect(mockPeer)
       assert.fail('should throw')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.equal(err.message, 'Already connected')
     }
   })
diff --git a/packages/evm/scripts/eofContainerValidator.ts b/packages/evm/scripts/eofContainerValidator.ts
index 7a15bf0076..af2a558bfc 100644
--- a/packages/evm/scripts/eofContainerValidator.ts
+++ b/packages/evm/scripts/eofContainerValidator.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,10 @@ function processLine(line) {
   try {
     validateEOF(bytes, evm)
     console.log('OK')
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch (e) {
+    if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+      e = new Error(e)
+    }
     console.log('err: ' + e.message)
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/evm/src/evm.ts b/packages/evm/src/evm.ts
index 16ead4bc27..4d32c93fa5 100644
--- a/packages/evm/src/evm.ts
+++ b/packages/evm/src/evm.ts
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ export class EVM implements EVMInterface {
     if (!message.delegatecall) {
       try {
         await this._addToBalance(toAccount, message)
-      } catch (e: any) {
+      } catch (e) {
         errorMessage = e
       }
     }
@@ -505,7 +505,7 @@ export class EVM implements EVMInterface {
     let errorMessage
     try {
       await this._addToBalance(toAccount, message as MessageWithTo)
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
       errorMessage = e
     }
 
diff --git a/packages/evm/src/interpreter.ts b/packages/evm/src/interpreter.ts
index 647f6eb6c4..9ca5c607d4 100644
--- a/packages/evm/src/interpreter.ts
+++ b/packages/evm/src/interpreter.ts
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ export class Interpreter {
         if (overheadTimer !== undefined) {
           this.performanceLogger.unpauseTimer(overheadTimer)
         }
-      } catch (e: any) {
+      } catch (e) {
         if (overheadTimer !== undefined) {
           this.performanceLogger.unpauseTimer(overheadTimer)
         }
diff --git a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/01-ecrecover.ts b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/01-ecrecover.ts
index e5ad0ad41c..21cc0fe344 100644
--- a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/01-ecrecover.ts
+++ b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/01-ecrecover.ts
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ export function precompile01(opts: PrecompileInput): ExecResult {
       )
     }
     publicKey = ecrecoverFunction(msgHash, bytesToBigInt(v), r, s)
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch {
     if (opts._debug !== undefined) {
       opts._debug(`${pName} failed: PK recovery failed`)
     }
diff --git a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/05-modexp.ts b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/05-modexp.ts
index 38b185669d..5c2a2079b8 100644
--- a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/05-modexp.ts
+++ b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/05-modexp.ts
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ function getAdjustedExponentLength(data: Uint8Array): bigint {
   try {
     const baseLen = bytesToBigInt(data.subarray(0, 32))
     expBytesStart = 96 + Number(baseLen) // 96 for base length, then exponent length, and modulus length, then baseLen for the base data, then exponent bytes start
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch {
     expBytesStart = Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER - 32
   }
   const expLen = bytesToBigInt(data.subarray(32, 64))
diff --git a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/06-bn254-add.ts b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/06-bn254-add.ts
index 23c8163bf1..86d577bbab 100644
--- a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/06-bn254-add.ts
+++ b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/06-bn254-add.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export function precompile06(opts: PrecompileInput): ExecResult {
   let returnData
   try {
     returnData = (opts._EVM as EVM)['_bn254'].add(input)
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch (e) {
     if (opts._debug !== undefined) {
       opts._debug(`${pName} failed: ${e.message}`)
     }
diff --git a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/07-bn254-mul.ts b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/07-bn254-mul.ts
index 28be204aef..40e572c01b 100644
--- a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/07-bn254-mul.ts
+++ b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/07-bn254-mul.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export function precompile07(opts: PrecompileInput): ExecResult {
   let returnData
   try {
     returnData = (opts._EVM as EVM)['_bn254'].mul(input)
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch (e) {
     if (opts._debug !== undefined) {
       opts._debug(`${pName} failed: ${e.message}`)
     }
diff --git a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/08-bn254-pairing.ts b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/08-bn254-pairing.ts
index 2d1e67ed3a..19935dc522 100644
--- a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/08-bn254-pairing.ts
+++ b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/08-bn254-pairing.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ export function precompile08(opts: PrecompileInput): ExecResult {
   let returnData
   try {
     returnData = (opts._EVM as EVM)['_bn254'].pairing(opts.data)
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch (e) {
     if (opts._debug !== undefined) {
       opts._debug(`${pName} failed: ${e.message}`)
     }
diff --git a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/0a-kzg-point-evaluation.ts b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/0a-kzg-point-evaluation.ts
index 990fe37b2e..6f0d4b2715 100644
--- a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/0a-kzg-point-evaluation.ts
+++ b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/0a-kzg-point-evaluation.ts
@@ -63,7 +63,10 @@ export async function precompile0a(opts: PrecompileInput): Promise<ExecResult> {
     if (res === false) {
       return EvmErrorResult(new EvmError(ERROR.INVALID_PROOF), opts.gasLimit)
     }
-  } catch (err: any) {
+  } catch (err) {
+    if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+      err = new Error(err)
+    }
     if (err.message.includes('C_KZG_BADARGS') === true) {
       if (opts._debug !== undefined) {
         opts._debug(`${pName} failed: INVALID_INPUTS`)
diff --git a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/0b-bls12-g1add.ts b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/0b-bls12-g1add.ts
index 9fd91e3b4b..90b17ad826 100644
--- a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/0b-bls12-g1add.ts
+++ b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/0b-bls12-g1add.ts
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ export async function precompile0b(opts: PrecompileInput): Promise<ExecResult> {
   let returnValue
   try {
     returnValue = bls.addG1(opts.data)
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch (e) {
     if (opts._debug !== undefined) {
       opts._debug(`${pName} failed: ${e.message}`)
     }
diff --git a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/0c-bls12-g1mul.ts b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/0c-bls12-g1mul.ts
index aedb566405..3b4ae45530 100644
--- a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/0c-bls12-g1mul.ts
+++ b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/0c-bls12-g1mul.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ export async function precompile0c(opts: PrecompileInput): Promise<ExecResult> {
   let returnValue
   try {
     returnValue = bls.mulG1(opts.data)
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch (e) {
     if (opts._debug !== undefined) {
       opts._debug(`${pName} failed: ${e.message}`)
     }
diff --git a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/0d-bls12-g1msm.ts b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/0d-bls12-g1msm.ts
index ac67b5be48..68c9c7ae10 100644
--- a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/0d-bls12-g1msm.ts
+++ b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/0d-bls12-g1msm.ts
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ export async function precompile0d(opts: PrecompileInput): Promise<ExecResult> {
   let returnValue
   try {
     returnValue = bls.msmG1(opts.data)
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch (e) {
     if (opts._debug !== undefined) {
       opts._debug(`${pName} failed: ${e.message}`)
     }
diff --git a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/0e-bls12-g2add.ts b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/0e-bls12-g2add.ts
index d1bc0e4807..6e150adb00 100644
--- a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/0e-bls12-g2add.ts
+++ b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/0e-bls12-g2add.ts
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ export async function precompile0e(opts: PrecompileInput): Promise<ExecResult> {
   let returnValue
   try {
     returnValue = bls.addG2(opts.data)
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch (e) {
     return EvmErrorResult(e, opts.gasLimit)
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/0f-bls12-g2mul.ts b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/0f-bls12-g2mul.ts
index 3e6e16d6eb..d9735b5c20 100644
--- a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/0f-bls12-g2mul.ts
+++ b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/0f-bls12-g2mul.ts
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ export async function precompile0f(opts: PrecompileInput): Promise<ExecResult> {
   let returnValue
   try {
     returnValue = bls.mulG2(opts.data)
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch (e) {
     if (opts._debug !== undefined) {
       opts._debug(`${pName} failed: ${e.message}`)
     }
diff --git a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/10-bls12-g2msm.ts b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/10-bls12-g2msm.ts
index b327e3ca6f..0d42c42c4e 100644
--- a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/10-bls12-g2msm.ts
+++ b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/10-bls12-g2msm.ts
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ export async function precompile10(opts: PrecompileInput): Promise<ExecResult> {
   let returnValue
   try {
     returnValue = bls.msmG2(opts.data)
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch (e) {
     if (opts._debug !== undefined) {
       opts._debug(`${pName} failed: ${e.message}`)
     }
diff --git a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/11-bls12-pairing.ts b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/11-bls12-pairing.ts
index fa8a03ecc9..7eaacd7829 100644
--- a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/11-bls12-pairing.ts
+++ b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/11-bls12-pairing.ts
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ export async function precompile11(opts: PrecompileInput): Promise<ExecResult> {
   let returnValue
   try {
     returnValue = bls.pairingCheck(opts.data)
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch (e) {
     if (opts._debug !== undefined) {
       opts._debug(`${pName} failed: ${e.message}`)
     }
diff --git a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/12-bls12-map-fp-to-g1.ts b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/12-bls12-map-fp-to-g1.ts
index 93381090db..1d5812caa8 100644
--- a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/12-bls12-map-fp-to-g1.ts
+++ b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/12-bls12-map-fp-to-g1.ts
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ export async function precompile12(opts: PrecompileInput): Promise<ExecResult> {
   let returnValue
   try {
     returnValue = bls.mapFPtoG1(opts.data)
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch (e) {
     if (opts._debug !== undefined) {
       opts._debug(`${pName} failed: ${e.message}`)
     }
diff --git a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/13-bls12-map-fp2-to-g2.ts b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/13-bls12-map-fp2-to-g2.ts
index ff4a60f3c4..243e226384 100644
--- a/packages/evm/src/precompiles/13-bls12-map-fp2-to-g2.ts
+++ b/packages/evm/src/precompiles/13-bls12-map-fp2-to-g2.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ export async function precompile13(opts: PrecompileInput): Promise<ExecResult> {
   let returnValue
   try {
     returnValue = bls.mapFP2toG2(opts.data)
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch (e) {
     if (opts._debug !== undefined) {
       opts._debug(`${pName} failed: ${e.message}`)
     }
diff --git a/packages/evm/test/runCall.spec.ts b/packages/evm/test/runCall.spec.ts
index 8cf1217959..693fcedac8 100644
--- a/packages/evm/test/runCall.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/evm/test/runCall.spec.ts
@@ -469,7 +469,10 @@ describe('RunCall tests', () => {
     try {
       await evm.runCall(runCallArgs)
       assert.fail('should not accept a negative call value')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         err.message.includes('value field cannot be negative'),
         'throws on negative call value',
diff --git a/packages/evm/test/runCode.spec.ts b/packages/evm/test/runCode.spec.ts
index 821626a339..d5bdc25a0d 100644
--- a/packages/evm/test/runCode.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/evm/test/runCode.spec.ts
@@ -40,7 +40,10 @@ describe('VM.runCode: initial program counter', () => {
             `should start the execution at the specified pc or 0, testCases[${i}]`,
           )
         }
-      } catch (e: any) {
+      } catch (e) {
+        if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+          e = new Error(e)
+        }
         err = e
       }
 
@@ -68,7 +71,10 @@ describe('VM.runCode: interpreter', () => {
     let result: any
     try {
       result = await evm.runCode!(runCodeArgs)
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.fail('should not throw error')
     }
     assert.equal(result!.exceptionError!.errorType, 'EvmError')
@@ -97,7 +103,10 @@ describe('VM.runCode: interpreter', () => {
     try {
       await evm.runCode!(runCodeArgs)
       assert.fail('should throw error')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(e.toString().includes('Test'), 'error thrown')
     }
   })
@@ -115,7 +124,10 @@ describe('VM.runCode: RunCodeOptions', () => {
     try {
       await evm.runCode!(runCodeArgs)
       assert.fail('should not accept a negative call value')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         err.message.includes('value field cannot be negative'),
         'throws on negative call value',
diff --git a/packages/evm/test/stack.spec.ts b/packages/evm/test/stack.spec.ts
index ed75419f04..c09fbb3538 100644
--- a/packages/evm/test/stack.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/evm/test/stack.spec.ts
@@ -134,7 +134,10 @@ describe('Stack', () => {
       const res = await evm.runCall(runCallArgs)
       const executionReturnValue = res.execResult.returnValue
       assert.deepEqual(executionReturnValue, expectedReturnValue)
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.fail(e.message)
     }
   })
diff --git a/packages/rlp/test/dataTypes.spec.ts b/packages/rlp/test/dataTypes.spec.ts
index 20105c0563..0b9cce30b1 100644
--- a/packages/rlp/test/dataTypes.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/rlp/test/dataTypes.spec.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,10 @@ describe('invalid RLPs', () => {
       try {
         RLP.decode(input)
         assert.fail()
-      } catch (e: any) {
+      } catch (e) {
+        if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+          e = new Error(e)
+        }
         if (typeof msg !== 'undefined') {
           assert.deepEqual(e.message, msg)
         } else {
diff --git a/packages/statemanager/test/rpcStateManager.spec.ts b/packages/statemanager/test/rpcStateManager.spec.ts
index 8fbaf674fb..bbb6c2d215 100644
--- a/packages/statemanager/test/rpcStateManager.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/statemanager/test/rpcStateManager.spec.ts
@@ -208,7 +208,10 @@ describe('RPC State Manager API tests', () => {
     try {
       await createBlockFromJSONRPCProvider(provider, 'fakeBlockTag', {} as any)
       assert.fail('should have thrown')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         err.message.includes('expected blockTag to be block hash, bigint, hex prefixed string'),
         'threw with correct error when invalid blockTag provided',
@@ -307,7 +310,10 @@ describe('runBlock test', () => {
         block.header.gasUsed,
         'should compute correct cumulative gas for block',
       )
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.fail(`should have successfully ran block; got error ${err.message}`)
     }
   })
diff --git a/packages/statemanager/test/stateManager.spec.ts b/packages/statemanager/test/stateManager.spec.ts
index c0783792e3..909ab37b4f 100644
--- a/packages/statemanager/test/stateManager.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/statemanager/test/stateManager.spec.ts
@@ -282,7 +282,10 @@ describe('StateManager -> General', () => {
     try {
       await addMerkleStateProofData(newPartialStateManager2, [proof2, stProof], true)
       assert.fail('cannot reach this')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(e.message.includes('proof does not have the expected trie root'))
     }
 
@@ -297,7 +300,10 @@ describe('StateManager -> General', () => {
     try {
       await fromMerkleStateProof([proof1, zeroAddressProof], true)
       assert.fail('cannot reach this')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(e.message.includes('proof does not have the expected trie root'))
     }
 
diff --git a/packages/statemanager/test/stateManager.storage.spec.ts b/packages/statemanager/test/stateManager.storage.spec.ts
index 1c0ded01f1..91a7eb2b06 100644
--- a/packages/statemanager/test/stateManager.storage.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/statemanager/test/stateManager.storage.spec.ts
@@ -49,7 +49,10 @@ describe('StateManager -> Storage', () => {
 
         try {
           await stateManager.putStorage(address, new Uint8Array(12), hexToBytes('0x1231'))
-        } catch (e: any) {
+        } catch (e) {
+          if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+            e = new Error(e)
+          }
           assert.equal(e.message, 'Storage key must be 32 bytes long')
           return
         }
@@ -68,7 +71,10 @@ describe('StateManager -> Storage', () => {
 
         try {
           await stateManager.getStorage(address, new Uint8Array(12))
-        } catch (e: any) {
+        } catch (e) {
+          if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+            e = new Error(e)
+          }
           assert.equal(e.message, 'Storage key must be 32 bytes long')
           return
         }
@@ -90,7 +96,10 @@ describe('StateManager -> Storage', () => {
         try {
           await stateManager.putStorage(address, key, value)
           assert.fail('did not throw')
-        } catch (e: any) {
+        } catch (e) {
+          if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+            e = new Error(e)
+          }
           assert.ok(true, 'threw on trying to set storage values larger than 32 bytes')
         }
       })
diff --git a/packages/statemanager/test/statelessVerkleStateManager.spec.ts b/packages/statemanager/test/statelessVerkleStateManager.spec.ts
index 0acce807a1..9d3122666d 100644
--- a/packages/statemanager/test/statelessVerkleStateManager.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/statemanager/test/statelessVerkleStateManager.spec.ts
@@ -82,7 +82,10 @@ describe('StatelessVerkleStateManager: Kaustinen Verkle Block', () => {
     try {
       await stateManager.getAccount(address)
       assert.fail('should throw on getting account that is not found in witness')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.equal(
         e.message.slice(0, 25),
         'No witness bundled for ad',
diff --git a/packages/statemanager/test/vmState.spec.ts b/packages/statemanager/test/vmState.spec.ts
index 64079ff27e..43e5449dd5 100644
--- a/packages/statemanager/test/vmState.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/statemanager/test/vmState.spec.ts
@@ -131,7 +131,10 @@ describe('Original storage cache', async () => {
   it("getOriginalContractStorage should validate the key's length", async () => {
     try {
       await stateManager.originalStorageCache.get(address, new Uint8Array(12))
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.equal(e.message, 'Storage key must be 32 bytes long')
       return
     }
diff --git a/packages/trie/benchmarks/engines/level.ts b/packages/trie/benchmarks/engines/level.ts
index 16f3f814ab..179078181d 100644
--- a/packages/trie/benchmarks/engines/level.ts
+++ b/packages/trie/benchmarks/engines/level.ts
@@ -67,7 +67,10 @@ export class LevelDB<
     try {
       value = await this._leveldb.get(key, encodings)
       if (value === null) return undefined
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       // https://github.com/Level/abstract-level/blob/915ad1317694d0ce8c580b5ab85d81e1e78a3137/abstract-level.js#L309
       // This should be `true` if the error came from LevelDB
       // so we can check for `NOT true` to identify any non-404 errors
diff --git a/packages/trie/examples/customLevelDB.ts b/packages/trie/examples/customLevelDB.ts
index dbe92d8de6..5cffa3e110 100644
--- a/packages/trie/examples/customLevelDB.ts
+++ b/packages/trie/examples/customLevelDB.ts
@@ -69,7 +69,10 @@ export class LevelDB<
     try {
       value = await this._leveldb.get(key, encodings)
       if (value === null) return undefined
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       // https://github.com/Level/abstract-level/blob/915ad1317694d0ce8c580b5ab85d81e1e78a3137/abstract-level.js#L309
       // This should be `true` if the error came from LevelDB
       // so we can check for `NOT true` to identify any non-404 errors
diff --git a/packages/trie/recipes/level-legacy.ts b/packages/trie/recipes/level-legacy.ts
index 52755e283b..b9713c410b 100644
--- a/packages/trie/recipes/level-legacy.ts
+++ b/packages/trie/recipes/level-legacy.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,10 @@ export class LevelDB implements DB {
     let value
     try {
       value = await this._leveldb.get(key, ENCODING_OPTS)
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       // https://github.com/Level/abstract-level/blob/915ad1317694d0ce8c580b5ab85d81e1e78a3137/abstract-level.js#L309
       // This should be `true` if the error came from LevelDB
       // so we can check for `NOT true` to identify any non-404 errors
diff --git a/packages/trie/recipes/level.ts b/packages/trie/recipes/level.ts
index 68b78e03f3..e58cd55658 100644
--- a/packages/trie/recipes/level.ts
+++ b/packages/trie/recipes/level.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ export class LevelDB implements DB {
       string | Uint8Array | Uint8Array,
       string | Uint8Array,
       string | Uint8Array
-    > | null
+    > | null,
   ) {
     this._leveldb = leveldb ?? new MemoryLevel(ENCODING_OPTS)
   }
@@ -26,7 +26,10 @@ export class LevelDB implements DB {
     let value
     try {
       value = await this._leveldb.get(key, ENCODING_OPTS)
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       // https://github.com/Level/abstract-level/blob/915ad1317694d0ce8c580b5ab85d81e1e78a3137/abstract-level.js#L309
       // This should be `true` if the error came from LevelDB
       // so we can check for `NOT true` to identify any non-404 errors
diff --git a/packages/trie/scripts/view.ts b/packages/trie/scripts/view.ts
index 9ce644f428..4411b0c827 100644
--- a/packages/trie/scripts/view.ts
+++ b/packages/trie/scripts/view.ts
@@ -103,7 +103,10 @@ export const view = async (testName: string, inputs: any[], root: string) => {
     }
     try {
       await trie.put(input[0], input[1])
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       debugT(`trie.put error: ${e.message}`)
     }
     trie.checkpoint()
diff --git a/packages/trie/src/proof/index.ts b/packages/trie/src/proof/index.ts
index c3462c9318..deb495578a 100644
--- a/packages/trie/src/proof/index.ts
+++ b/packages/trie/src/proof/index.ts
@@ -27,7 +27,10 @@ export async function verifyTrieProof(
     const proofTrie = await createTrieFromProof(proof, opts)
     const value = await proofTrie.get(key, true)
     return value
-  } catch (err: any) {
+  } catch (err) {
+    if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+      err = new Error(err)
+    }
     throw new Error('Invalid proof provided')
   }
 }
@@ -149,7 +152,10 @@ export async function verifyMerkleProof(
   })
   try {
     await updateTrieFromMerkleProof(proofTrie, proof, true)
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch (e) {
+    if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+      e = new Error(e)
+    }
     throw new Error('Invalid proof nodes given')
   }
   try {
@@ -160,7 +166,10 @@ export async function verifyMerkleProof(
     const value = await proofTrie.get(trie['appliedKey'](key), true)
     trie['DEBUG'] && trie['debug'](`PROOF VERIFIED`, ['VERIFY_PROOF'])
     return value
-  } catch (err: any) {
+  } catch (err) {
+    if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+      err = new Error(err)
+    }
     if (err.message === 'Missing node in DB') {
       throw new Error('Invalid proof provided')
     } else {
diff --git a/packages/trie/src/proof/range.ts b/packages/trie/src/proof/range.ts
index a3699989fc..2557f8aeb2 100644
--- a/packages/trie/src/proof/range.ts
+++ b/packages/trie/src/proof/range.ts
@@ -333,7 +333,10 @@ async function verifyMerkleProof(
       trie: proofTrie,
       value,
     }
-  } catch (err: any) {
+  } catch (err) {
+    if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+      err = new Error(err)
+    }
     if (err.message === 'Missing node in DB') {
       throw new Error('Invalid proof provided')
     } else {
diff --git a/packages/trie/src/trie.ts b/packages/trie/src/trie.ts
index 4ab3ef7fb9..de584e2186 100644
--- a/packages/trie/src/trie.ts
+++ b/packages/trie/src/trie.ts
@@ -171,7 +171,10 @@ export class Trie {
     try {
       const value = await this.lookupNode(root)
       return value !== null
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       if (error.message === 'Missing node in DB') {
         return equalsBytes(root, this.EMPTY_TRIE_ROOT)
       } else {
@@ -411,7 +414,10 @@ export class Trie {
           ['FIND_PATH'],
         )
       await this.walkTrie(start, onFound)
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       if (error.message !== 'Missing node in DB' || throwIfMissing) {
         throw error
       }
diff --git a/packages/trie/src/util/walkController.ts b/packages/trie/src/util/walkController.ts
index 0339f3fafa..5caf35efed 100644
--- a/packages/trie/src/util/walkController.ts
+++ b/packages/trie/src/util/walkController.ts
@@ -54,7 +54,10 @@ export class WalkController {
       let node
       try {
         node = await this.trie.lookupNode(root)
-      } catch (error: any) {
+      } catch (error) {
+        if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+          error = new Error(error)
+        }
         return this.reject(error)
       }
       this.processNode(root, node, [])
@@ -101,7 +104,10 @@ export class WalkController {
         let childNode
         try {
           childNode = await this.trie.lookupNode(nodeRef)
-        } catch (error: any) {
+        } catch (error) {
+          if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+            error = new Error(error)
+          }
           return this.reject(error)
         }
         taskFinishedCallback() // this marks the current task as finished. If there are any tasks left in the queue, this will immediately execute the first task.
diff --git a/packages/trie/test/proof.spec.ts b/packages/trie/test/proof.spec.ts
index 99455e0569..811766815f 100644
--- a/packages/trie/test/proof.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/trie/test/proof.spec.ts
@@ -51,7 +51,10 @@ describe('simple merkle proofs generation and verification', () => {
     try {
       await verifyTrieProof(utf8ToBytes('key1aa'), proof)
       assert.fail('expected error: Invalid proof provided')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.equal(e.message, 'Invalid proof provided')
     }
 
@@ -61,7 +64,10 @@ describe('simple merkle proofs generation and verification', () => {
     try {
       await verifyTrieProof(utf8ToBytes('key2bb'), proof)
       assert.fail('expected error: Invalid proof provided')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.equal(e.message, 'Invalid proof provided')
     }
 
@@ -76,7 +82,10 @@ describe('simple merkle proofs generation and verification', () => {
     try {
       await createTrieFromProof(proof, { root: trie.root() })
       assert.fail(`expected error: 'The provided proof does not have the expected trie root'`)
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.equal(e.message, 'The provided proof does not have the expected trie root')
     }
   })
diff --git a/packages/trie/test/trie/trie.spec.ts b/packages/trie/test/trie/trie.spec.ts
index f719b0195f..4963545a61 100644
--- a/packages/trie/test/trie/trie.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/trie/test/trie/trie.spec.ts
@@ -213,7 +213,10 @@ for (const { constructor, defaults, title } of [
       try {
         await emptyTrie.checkRoot(ROOT_DB_KEY)
         assert.fail('Should throw')
-      } catch (e: any) {
+      } catch (e) {
+        if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+          e = new Error(e)
+        }
         assert.notEqual(
           'Missing node in DB',
           e.message,
diff --git a/packages/tx/src/baseTransaction.ts b/packages/tx/src/baseTransaction.ts
index 0f1b469f00..6fa99b1cf1 100644
--- a/packages/tx/src/baseTransaction.ts
+++ b/packages/tx/src/baseTransaction.ts
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ export abstract class BaseTransaction<T extends TransactionType>
       // Main signature verification is done in `getSenderPublicKey()`
       const publicKey = this.getSenderPublicKey()
       return unpadBytes(publicKey).length !== 0
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch {
       return false
     }
   }
@@ -451,19 +451,19 @@ export abstract class BaseTransaction<T extends TransactionType>
     let hash = ''
     try {
       hash = this.isSigned() ? bytesToHex(this.hash()) : 'not available (unsigned)'
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch {
       hash = 'error'
     }
     let isSigned = ''
     try {
       isSigned = this.isSigned().toString()
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch {
       hash = 'error'
     }
     let hf = ''
     try {
       hf = this.common.hardfork()
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch {
       hf = 'error'
     }
 
diff --git a/packages/tx/src/capabilities/legacy.ts b/packages/tx/src/capabilities/legacy.ts
index 34ebd741dc..13423ef8d6 100644
--- a/packages/tx/src/capabilities/legacy.ts
+++ b/packages/tx/src/capabilities/legacy.ts
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ export function getSenderPublicKey(tx: LegacyTxInterface): Uint8Array {
       tx.cache.senderPubKey = sender
     }
     return sender
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch {
     const msg = errorMsg(tx, 'Invalid Signature')
     throw new Error(msg)
   }
diff --git a/packages/tx/test/base.spec.ts b/packages/tx/test/base.spec.ts
index a2117f10e5..a30042fbf5 100644
--- a/packages/tx/test/base.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/tx/test/base.spec.ts
@@ -190,7 +190,10 @@ describe('[BaseTransaction]', () => {
     try {
       createLegacyTxFromBytesArray(rlpData)
       assert.fail('should have thrown when nonce has leading zeroes')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         err.message.includes('nonce cannot have leading zeroes'),
         'should throw with nonce with leading zeroes',
@@ -201,7 +204,10 @@ describe('[BaseTransaction]', () => {
     try {
       createLegacyTxFromBytesArray(rlpData)
       assert.fail('should have thrown when v has leading zeroes')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         err.message.includes('v cannot have leading zeroes'),
         'should throw with v with leading zeroes',
@@ -212,7 +218,10 @@ describe('[BaseTransaction]', () => {
     try {
       createAccessList2930TxFromBytesArray(rlpData)
       assert.fail('should have thrown when gasLimit has leading zeroes')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         err.message.includes('gasLimit cannot have leading zeroes'),
         'should throw with gasLimit with leading zeroes',
@@ -223,7 +232,10 @@ describe('[BaseTransaction]', () => {
     try {
       create1559FeeMarketTxFromBytesArray(rlpData)
       assert.fail('should have thrown when maxPriorityFeePerGas has leading zeroes')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         err.message.includes('maxPriorityFeePerGas cannot have leading zeroes'),
         'should throw with maxPriorityFeePerGas with leading zeroes',
@@ -438,7 +450,10 @@ describe('[BaseTransaction]', () => {
     const tx = createFeeMarket1559Tx(eip1559Txs[0])
     try {
       ;(tx as any)._validateCannotExceedMaxInteger({ a: MAX_INTEGER }, 256, true)
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         err.message.includes('equal or exceed MAX_INTEGER'),
         'throws when value equals or exceeds MAX_INTEGER',
@@ -446,12 +461,18 @@ describe('[BaseTransaction]', () => {
     }
     try {
       ;(tx as any)._validateCannotExceedMaxInteger({ a: MAX_INTEGER + BigInt(1) }, 256, false)
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes('exceed MAX_INTEGER'), 'throws when value exceeds MAX_INTEGER')
     }
     try {
       ;(tx as any)._validateCannotExceedMaxInteger({ a: BigInt(0) }, 100, false)
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         err.message.includes('unimplemented bits value'),
         'throws when bits value other than 64 or 256 provided',
@@ -459,12 +480,18 @@ describe('[BaseTransaction]', () => {
     }
     try {
       ;(tx as any)._validateCannotExceedMaxInteger({ a: MAX_UINT64 + BigInt(1) }, 64, false)
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes('2^64'), 'throws when 64 bit integer exceeds MAX_UINT64')
     }
     try {
       ;(tx as any)._validateCannotExceedMaxInteger({ a: MAX_UINT64 }, 64, true)
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         err.message.includes('2^64'),
         'throws when 64 bit integer equals or exceeds MAX_UINT64',
diff --git a/packages/tx/test/eip4844.spec.ts b/packages/tx/test/eip4844.spec.ts
index cf0e895941..a152c70eb7 100644
--- a/packages/tx/test/eip4844.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/tx/test/eip4844.spec.ts
@@ -227,7 +227,10 @@ describe('EIP4844 constructor tests - invalid scenarios', () => {
     }
     try {
       createBlob4844Tx({ ...baseTxData, ...shortVersionHash }, { common })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         err.message.includes('versioned hash is invalid length'),
         'throws on invalid versioned hash length',
@@ -235,7 +238,10 @@ describe('EIP4844 constructor tests - invalid scenarios', () => {
     }
     try {
       createBlob4844Tx({ ...baseTxData, ...invalidVersionHash }, { common })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         err.message.includes('does not start with KZG commitment'),
         'throws on invalid commitment version',
@@ -243,7 +249,10 @@ describe('EIP4844 constructor tests - invalid scenarios', () => {
     }
     try {
       createBlob4844Tx({ ...baseTxData, ...tooManyBlobs }, { common })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         err.message.includes('tx can contain at most'),
         'throws on too many versioned hashes',
diff --git a/packages/tx/test/fromRpc.spec.ts b/packages/tx/test/fromRpc.spec.ts
index df6f7b37d9..935980e683 100644
--- a/packages/tx/test/fromRpc.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/tx/test/fromRpc.spec.ts
@@ -61,7 +61,10 @@ describe('[fromJSONRPCProvider]', () => {
     try {
       await createTxFromJSONRPCProvider(provider, bytesToHex(randomBytes(32)), {})
       assert.fail('should throw')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         err.message.includes('No data returned from provider'),
         'throws correct error when no tx returned',
diff --git a/packages/tx/test/inputValue.spec.ts b/packages/tx/test/inputValue.spec.ts
index e281fcf3dd..21e80363f8 100644
--- a/packages/tx/test/inputValue.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/tx/test/inputValue.spec.ts
@@ -224,7 +224,10 @@ describe('[Invalid Access Lists]', () => {
               tx = tx.sign(hexToBytes(`0x${'42'.repeat(32)}`))
             }
             assert.fail('did not fail on `fromTxData`')
-          } catch (e: any) {
+          } catch (e) {
+            if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+              e = new Error(e)
+            }
             assert.ok(true, 'failed ok on decoding in `fromTxData`')
             tx = createTx({ type: txType })
             if (signed) {
diff --git a/packages/tx/test/transactionRunner.spec.ts b/packages/tx/test/transactionRunner.spec.ts
index 7941133744..ebbb16a5f0 100644
--- a/packages/tx/test/transactionRunner.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/tx/test/transactionRunner.spec.ts
@@ -86,7 +86,10 @@ describe('TransactionTests', async () => {
                 `Transaction should be valid on ${forkName}`,
               )
             }
-          } catch (e: any) {
+          } catch (e) {
+            if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+              e = new Error(e)
+            }
             if (shouldBeInvalid) {
               assert.ok(shouldBeInvalid, `Transaction should be invalid on ${forkName}`)
             } else {
diff --git a/packages/tx/test/typedTxsAndEIP2930.spec.ts b/packages/tx/test/typedTxsAndEIP2930.spec.ts
index 968bac39c2..1e73cc7349 100644
--- a/packages/tx/test/typedTxsAndEIP2930.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/tx/test/typedTxsAndEIP2930.spec.ts
@@ -162,7 +162,10 @@ describe('[AccessList2930Transaction / FeeMarket1559Tx] -> EIP-2930 Compatibilit
     for (const txType of txTypes) {
       try {
         txType.create.rlp(new Uint8Array([99]), {})
-      } catch (e: any) {
+      } catch (e) {
+        if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+          e = new Error(e)
+        }
         assert.ok(
           e.message.includes('wrong tx type'),
           `should throw on wrong tx type (${txType.name})`,
@@ -173,7 +176,10 @@ describe('[AccessList2930Transaction / FeeMarket1559Tx] -> EIP-2930 Compatibilit
         // Correct tx type + RLP-encoded 5
         const serialized = concatBytes(new Uint8Array([txType.type]), new Uint8Array([5]))
         txType.create.rlp(serialized, {})
-      } catch (e: any) {
+      } catch (e) {
+        if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+          e = new Error(e)
+        }
         assert.ok(
           e.message.includes('must be array'),
           `should throw when RLP payload not an array (${txType.name})`,
@@ -184,7 +190,10 @@ describe('[AccessList2930Transaction / FeeMarket1559Tx] -> EIP-2930 Compatibilit
         // Correct tx type + RLP-encoded empty list
         const serialized = concatBytes(new Uint8Array([txType.type]), hexToBytes('0xc0'))
         txType.create.rlp(serialized, {})
-      } catch (e: any) {
+      } catch (e) {
+        if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+          e = new Error(e)
+        }
         assert.ok(
           e.message.includes('values (for unsigned tx)'),
           `should throw with invalid number of values (${txType.name})`,
@@ -449,7 +458,10 @@ describe('[AccessList2930Transaction] -> Class Specific Tests', () => {
         },
         { common },
       )
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         err.message.includes('gasLimit * gasPrice cannot exceed MAX_INTEGER'),
         'throws when gasLimit * gasPrice exceeds MAX_INTEGER',
diff --git a/packages/util/src/account.ts b/packages/util/src/account.ts
index a62022e959..ada39c49d8 100644
--- a/packages/util/src/account.ts
+++ b/packages/util/src/account.ts
@@ -418,7 +418,10 @@ export function createPartialAccountFromRLP(serialized: Uint8Array) {
 export const isValidAddress = function (hexAddress: string): hexAddress is PrefixedHexString {
   try {
     assertIsString(hexAddress)
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch (e) {
+    if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+      e = new Error(e)
+    }
     return false
   }
 
@@ -624,7 +627,10 @@ export const zeroAddress = function (): string {
 export const isZeroAddress = function (hexAddress: string): boolean {
   try {
     assertIsString(hexAddress)
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch (e) {
+    if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+      e = new Error(e)
+    }
     return false
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/util/test/account.spec.ts b/packages/util/test/account.spec.ts
index 0e83962a48..2fc5ccd252 100644
--- a/packages/util/test/account.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/util/test/account.spec.ts
@@ -319,7 +319,10 @@ describe('Utility Functions', () => {
       '0x3a443d8381a6798a70c6ff9304bdc8cb0163c23211d11628fae52ef9e0dca11a001cf066d56a8156fc201cd5df8a36ef694eecd258903fca7086c1fae7441e1d' as any
     try {
       isValidPublic((<unknown>pubKey) as Uint8Array)
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         err.message.includes('This method only supports Uint8Array'),
         'should throw if input is not Uint8Array',
@@ -458,7 +461,10 @@ describe('Utility Functions', () => {
     privateKey = '0xea54bdc52d163f88c93ab0615782cf718a2efb9e51a7989aab1b08067e9c1c5f' as any
     try {
       privateToPublic((<unknown>privateKey) as Uint8Array)
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         err.message.includes('This method only supports Uint8Array'),
         'should throw if private key is not Uint8Array',
diff --git a/packages/util/test/provider.spec.ts b/packages/util/test/provider.spec.ts
index 5a8eb08f84..1f8a072244 100644
--- a/packages/util/test/provider.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/util/test/provider.spec.ts
@@ -59,7 +59,10 @@ describe('fetchFromProvider', () => {
         params: ['0xabcd'],
       })
       assert.fail('should throw')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes('fetch'), 'tried to fetch and failed')
     }
   })
@@ -79,7 +82,10 @@ describe('fetchFromProvider', () => {
         params: ['0xabcd'],
       })
       assert.fail('should throw')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes('ERROR'), 'received a formatted RPC error')
       assert.ok(err.message.includes('eth_getBalance'), 'error is for correct method')
     }
@@ -101,7 +107,10 @@ describe('fetchFromProvider', () => {
         params: ['0xabcd'],
       })
       assert.fail('should throw')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes('Could not parse error'), 'received a formatted RPC error')
       assert.ok(err.message.includes('eth_getBalance'), 'error is for correct method')
     }
diff --git a/packages/util/test/signature.spec.ts b/packages/util/test/signature.spec.ts
index 9a6a65b7ff..cef5441f44 100644
--- a/packages/util/test/signature.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/util/test/signature.spec.ts
@@ -169,7 +169,10 @@ describe('hashPersonalMessage', () => {
   it('should throw if input is not a Uint8Array', () => {
     try {
       hashPersonalMessage((<unknown>[0, 1, 2, 3, 4]) as Uint8Array)
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes('This method only supports Uint8Array'))
     }
   })
diff --git a/packages/verkle/src/verkleTree.ts b/packages/verkle/src/verkleTree.ts
index d6249d4f6f..7649c91ec0 100644
--- a/packages/verkle/src/verkleTree.ts
+++ b/packages/verkle/src/verkleTree.ts
@@ -142,7 +142,10 @@ export class VerkleTree {
     try {
       const value = await this._db.get(root)
       return value !== null
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       if (error.message === 'Missing node in DB') {
         return equalsBytes(root, this.EMPTY_TREE_ROOT)
       } else {
diff --git a/packages/vm/src/runBlock.ts b/packages/vm/src/runBlock.ts
index a5d9be682b..ceb1e93c1e 100644
--- a/packages/vm/src/runBlock.ts
+++ b/packages/vm/src/runBlock.ts
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ export async function runBlock(vm: VM, opts: RunBlockOpts): Promise<RunBlockResu
         } txResults=${result.results.length}`,
       )
     }
-  } catch (err: any) {
+  } catch (err) {
     await vm.evm.journal.revert()
     if (vm.DEBUG) {
       debug(`block checkpoint reverted`)
diff --git a/packages/vm/src/runTx.ts b/packages/vm/src/runTx.ts
index 1036c6e30d..cc0740efce 100644
--- a/packages/vm/src/runTx.ts
+++ b/packages/vm/src/runTx.ts
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ export async function runTx(vm: VM, opts: RunTxOpts): Promise<RunTxResult> {
       debug(`tx checkpoint committed`)
     }
     return result
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch (e) {
     await vm.evm.journal.revert()
     if (vm.DEBUG) {
       debug(`tx checkpoint reverted`)
diff --git a/packages/vm/src/vm.ts b/packages/vm/src/vm.ts
index 5d010271a4..7c6f2634b6 100644
--- a/packages/vm/src/vm.ts
+++ b/packages/vm/src/vm.ts
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ export class VM {
     let hf = ''
     try {
       hf = this.common.hardfork()
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch {
       hf = 'error'
     }
     const errorStr = `vm hf=${hf}`
diff --git a/packages/vm/test/api/EIPs/eip-1283-net-gas-metering.spec.ts b/packages/vm/test/api/EIPs/eip-1283-net-gas-metering.spec.ts
index 203f8ba3bb..5d999b37ea 100644
--- a/packages/vm/test/api/EIPs/eip-1283-net-gas-metering.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/vm/test/api/EIPs/eip-1283-net-gas-metering.spec.ts
@@ -58,7 +58,10 @@ describe('Constantinople: EIP-1283', () => {
         assert.equal(res.execResult.exceptionError, undefined)
         assert.equal(res.execResult.executionGasUsed, BigInt(testCase.used))
         assert.equal(res.execResult.gasRefund, BigInt(testCase.refund))
-      } catch (e: any) {
+      } catch (e) {
+        if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+          e = new Error(e)
+        }
         assert.fail(e.message)
       }
     }
diff --git a/packages/vm/test/api/EIPs/eip-3607.spec.ts b/packages/vm/test/api/EIPs/eip-3607.spec.ts
index dc7f71d502..5d8e3ec559 100644
--- a/packages/vm/test/api/EIPs/eip-3607.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/vm/test/api/EIPs/eip-3607.spec.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,10 @@ describe('EIP-3607 tests', () => {
     try {
       await runTx(vm, { tx, skipHardForkValidation: true })
       assert.fail('runTx should have thrown')
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       if ((error.message as string).includes('EIP-3607')) {
         assert.ok(true, 'threw correct error')
       } else {
@@ -35,7 +38,10 @@ describe('EIP-3607 tests', () => {
     try {
       await runTx(vm, { tx, skipHardForkValidation: true })
       assert.ok('runTx successfully ran')
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       assert.fail('threw an unexpected error')
     }
   })
diff --git a/packages/vm/test/api/EIPs/eip-7002.spec.ts b/packages/vm/test/api/EIPs/eip-7002.spec.ts
index 7850812765..0d89354f8a 100644
--- a/packages/vm/test/api/EIPs/eip-7002.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/vm/test/api/EIPs/eip-7002.spec.ts
@@ -182,7 +182,10 @@ describe('EIP-7002 tests', () => {
         skipBlockValidation: true,
         generate: true,
       })
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(e.message.includes('Attempt to accumulate EIP-7002 requests failed'))
     }
   })
diff --git a/packages/vm/test/api/buildBlock.spec.ts b/packages/vm/test/api/buildBlock.spec.ts
index 5405a1a860..e032adeb4c 100644
--- a/packages/vm/test/api/buildBlock.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/vm/test/api/buildBlock.spec.ts
@@ -81,7 +81,10 @@ describe('BlockBuilder', () => {
     try {
       await blockBuilder.addTransaction(tx)
       assert.fail('should throw error')
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       if (
         (error.message as string).includes(
           'tx has a higher gas limit than the remaining gas in the block',
@@ -268,7 +271,10 @@ describe('BlockBuilder', () => {
         'reverted',
         'block should be in reverted status',
       )
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       assert.fail('should not throw')
     }
 
@@ -289,7 +295,10 @@ describe('BlockBuilder', () => {
         'reverted',
         'block should be in reverted status',
       )
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       assert.fail('should not throw')
     }
   })
@@ -350,7 +359,10 @@ describe('BlockBuilder', () => {
       try {
         await blockBuilder.addTransaction(tx)
         assert.fail('should throw error')
-      } catch (error: any) {
+      } catch (error) {
+        if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+          error = new Error(error)
+        }
         assert.ok(
           (error.message as string).includes("is less than the block's baseFeePerGas"),
           'should fail with appropriate error',
diff --git a/packages/vm/test/api/index.spec.ts b/packages/vm/test/api/index.spec.ts
index 178cc2841e..272f97afdc 100644
--- a/packages/vm/test/api/index.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/vm/test/api/index.spec.ts
@@ -57,7 +57,10 @@ describe('VM -> Default EVM / Custom EVM Opts', () => {
     try {
       await createVM({ evmOpts: {}, evm: await createEVM() })
       assert.fail('should throw')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok('correctly thrown')
     }
   })
@@ -124,7 +127,10 @@ describe('VM -> supportedHardforks', () => {
     try {
       await createVM({ common })
       assert.fail('should have failed for unsupported hardfork')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(e.message.includes('supportedHardforks'))
     }
     // restore supported hardforks
@@ -188,7 +194,10 @@ describe('VM -> common (chain, HFs, EIPs)', () => {
       common = new Common({ chain: Mainnet, hardfork: 'extraCheese' })
       vm = await createVM({ common })
       assert.fail('should have failed for invalid chain')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(e.message.includes('not supported'))
     }
   })
diff --git a/packages/vm/test/api/istanbul/eip-1344.spec.ts b/packages/vm/test/api/istanbul/eip-1344.spec.ts
index 0d24b903ac..25fa514db3 100644
--- a/packages/vm/test/api/istanbul/eip-1344.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/vm/test/api/istanbul/eip-1344.spec.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,10 @@ describe('Istanbul: EIP-1344', () => {
           assert.ok(res.exceptionError === undefined)
           assert.equal(testCase.chainId, bytesToBigInt(res.returnValue))
         }
-      } catch (e: any) {
+      } catch (e) {
+        if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+          e = new Error(e)
+        }
         assert.fail(e.message)
       }
     }
diff --git a/packages/vm/test/api/istanbul/eip-1884.spec.ts b/packages/vm/test/api/istanbul/eip-1884.spec.ts
index 9ca0582116..64d6db9eef 100644
--- a/packages/vm/test/api/istanbul/eip-1884.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/vm/test/api/istanbul/eip-1884.spec.ts
@@ -40,7 +40,10 @@ describe('Istanbul: EIP-1884', () => {
           assert.ok(res.exceptionError === undefined)
           assert.ok(BigInt(testCase.selfbalance!) === bytesToBigInt(res.returnValue))
         }
-      } catch (e: any) {
+      } catch (e) {
+        if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+          e = new Error(e)
+        }
         assert.fail(e.message)
       }
     }
diff --git a/packages/vm/test/api/istanbul/eip-2200.spec.ts b/packages/vm/test/api/istanbul/eip-2200.spec.ts
index d3f24a3161..7eaed5b763 100644
--- a/packages/vm/test/api/istanbul/eip-2200.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/vm/test/api/istanbul/eip-2200.spec.ts
@@ -78,7 +78,10 @@ describe('Istanbul: EIP-2200', () => {
         }
         assert.equal(res.execResult.executionGasUsed, BigInt(testCase.used))
         assert.equal(res.execResult.gasRefund!, BigInt(testCase.refund))
-      } catch (e: any) {
+      } catch (e) {
+        if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+          e = new Error(e)
+        }
         assert.fail(e.message)
       }
     }
diff --git a/packages/vm/test/api/level.ts b/packages/vm/test/api/level.ts
index 39ba1e1a96..74d395e38f 100644
--- a/packages/vm/test/api/level.ts
+++ b/packages/vm/test/api/level.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ export class LevelDB implements DB {
     try {
       value = await this._leveldb.get(key, ENCODING_OPTS)
       if (value === null) return undefined
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
       // https://github.com/Level/abstract-level/blob/915ad1317694d0ce8c580b5ab85d81e1e78a3137/abstract-level.js#L309
       // This should be `true` if the error came from LevelDB
       // so we can check for `NOT true` to identify any non-404 errors
diff --git a/packages/vm/test/api/runBlock.spec.ts b/packages/vm/test/api/runBlock.spec.ts
index a4df164cb0..d854c2959a 100644
--- a/packages/vm/test/api/runBlock.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/vm/test/api/runBlock.spec.ts
@@ -273,7 +273,10 @@ describe('runBlock() -> API parameter usage/data errors', async () => {
     ;(vm.blockchain as any).validateHeader = undefined
     try {
       await runBlock(vm, { block })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.equal(
         err.message,
         'cannot validate header: blockchain has no `validateHeader` method',
diff --git a/packages/vm/test/api/runTx.spec.ts b/packages/vm/test/api/runTx.spec.ts
index 15010aeebc..443cebebf6 100644
--- a/packages/vm/test/api/runTx.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/vm/test/api/runTx.spec.ts
@@ -273,7 +273,10 @@ describe('runTx() -> API parameter usage/data errors', () => {
       await runTx(vm, { tx, skipHardForkValidation: true })
       // TODO uncomment:
       // assert.fail('should throw error')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         e.message.includes('(EIP-2718) not activated'),
         `should fail for ${TRANSACTION_TYPES[1].name}`,
@@ -323,7 +326,10 @@ describe('runTx() -> API parameter usage/data errors', () => {
       try {
         await runTx(vm, { tx })
         assert.fail('should throw error')
-      } catch (e: any) {
+      } catch (e) {
+        if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+          e = new Error(e)
+        }
         assert.ok(
           e.message.includes('not signed') === true ||
             e.message.includes('Invalid Signature') === true,
@@ -339,7 +345,10 @@ describe('runTx() -> API parameter usage/data errors', () => {
       const tx = getTransaction(vm.common, txType.type, true)
       try {
         await runTx(vm, { tx })
-      } catch (e: any) {
+      } catch (e) {
+        if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+          e = new Error(e)
+        }
         assert.ok(
           e.message.toLowerCase().includes('enough funds'),
           `should fail for ${txType.name}`,
@@ -361,7 +370,10 @@ describe('runTx() -> API parameter usage/data errors', () => {
     try {
       await runTx(vm, { tx })
       assert.fail('should throw error')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         e.message.toLowerCase().includes('max cost'),
         `should fail if max cost exceeds balance`,
@@ -388,7 +400,10 @@ describe('runTx() -> API parameter usage/data errors', () => {
     try {
       await runTx(vm, { tx: tx2 })
       assert.fail('cannot reach this')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(true, 'successfully threw on insufficient balance for transaction')
     }
   })
@@ -405,7 +420,10 @@ describe('runTx() -> API parameter usage/data errors', () => {
     try {
       await runTx(vm, { tx })
       assert.fail('cannot reach this')
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       assert.ok(true, 'successfully threw on wrong nonces')
     }
   })
@@ -420,7 +438,10 @@ describe('runTx() -> API parameter usage/data errors', () => {
       try {
         await runTx(vm, { tx, block })
         assert.fail('should fail')
-      } catch (e: any) {
+      } catch (e) {
+        if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+          e = new Error(e)
+        }
         assert.ok(
           e.message.includes("is less than the block's baseFeePerGas"),
           'should fail with appropriate error',
@@ -726,7 +747,10 @@ describe('runTx() -> RunTxOptions', () => {
             skipBalance,
           })
           assert.fail('should not accept a negative call value')
-        } catch (err: any) {
+        } catch (err) {
+          if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+            err = new Error(err)
+          }
           assert.ok(
             err.message.includes('value field cannot be negative'),
             'throws on negative call value',
diff --git a/packages/vm/test/t8n/t8ntool.ts b/packages/vm/test/t8n/t8ntool.ts
index ce5b44f291..09b1f66cf0 100644
--- a/packages/vm/test/t8n/t8ntool.ts
+++ b/packages/vm/test/t8n/t8ntool.ts
@@ -107,7 +107,10 @@ export class TransitionTool {
         // Set `allowNoBlobs` to `true`, since the test might not have the blob
         // The 4844-tx at this should still be valid, since it has the `blobHashes` field
         await builder.addTransaction(tx, { allowNoBlobs: true })
-      } catch (e: any) {
+      } catch (e) {
+        if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+          e = new Error(e)
+        }
         this.rejected.push({
           index,
           error: e.message,
diff --git a/packages/vm/test/tester/runners/BlockchainTestsRunner.ts b/packages/vm/test/tester/runners/BlockchainTestsRunner.ts
index 11edabeea2..4dcec449b8 100644
--- a/packages/vm/test/tester/runners/BlockchainTestsRunner.ts
+++ b/packages/vm/test/tester/runners/BlockchainTestsRunner.ts
@@ -141,7 +141,10 @@ export async function runBlockchainTest(options: any, testData: any, t: tape.Tes
       const blockRlp = hexToBytes(raw.rlp as PrefixedHexString)
       const decodedRLP: any = RLP.decode(Uint8Array.from(blockRlp))
       currentBlock = bytesToBigInt(decodedRLP[0][8])
-    } catch (e: any) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+        e = new Error(e)
+      }
       await handleError(e, expectException)
       continue
     }
@@ -179,7 +182,10 @@ export async function runBlockchainTest(options: any, testData: any, t: tape.Tes
             if (shouldFail) {
               t.fail('tx should fail, but did not fail')
             }
-          } catch (e: any) {
+          } catch (e) {
+            if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+              e = new Error(e)
+            }
             if (!shouldFail) {
               t.fail(`tx should not fail, but failed: ${e.message}`)
             } else {
@@ -207,13 +213,19 @@ export async function runBlockchainTest(options: any, testData: any, t: tape.Tes
           try {
             await runBlock(vm, { block, root: parentState, setHardfork: true })
             // set as new head block
-          } catch (error: any) {
+          } catch (error) {
+            if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+              error = new Error(error)
+            }
             // remove invalid block
             await blockchain!.delBlock(block.header.hash())
             throw error
           }
         })
-      } catch (e: any) {
+      } catch (e) {
+        if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+          e = new Error(e)
+        }
         // if the test fails, then block.header is the prev because
         // vm.runBlock has a check that prevents the actual postState from being
         // imported if it is not equal to the expected postState. it is useful
@@ -234,7 +246,10 @@ export async function runBlockchainTest(options: any, testData: any, t: tape.Tes
         t.fail(`expected exception but test did not throw an exception: ${expectException}`)
         return
       }
-    } catch (error: any) {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+        error = new Error(error)
+      }
       // caught an error, reduce block number
       currentBlock--
       await handleError(error, expectException)
diff --git a/packages/vm/test/tester/runners/GeneralStateTestsRunner.ts b/packages/vm/test/tester/runners/GeneralStateTestsRunner.ts
index 310bb35a61..1ae1c25b88 100644
--- a/packages/vm/test/tester/runners/GeneralStateTestsRunner.ts
+++ b/packages/vm/test/tester/runners/GeneralStateTestsRunner.ts
@@ -105,7 +105,10 @@ async function runTestCase(options: any, testData: any, t: tape.Test) {
 
   try {
     tx = makeTx(testData.transaction, { common })
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch (e) {
+    if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+      e = new Error(e)
+    }
     console.log('error: ', e)
     console.log('testData.transaction: ', testData.transaction)
     execInfo = 'tx instantiation exception'
@@ -153,7 +156,10 @@ async function runTestCase(options: any, testData: any, t: tape.Test) {
       try {
         await runTx(vm, { tx, block })
         execInfo = 'successful tx run'
-      } catch (e: any) {
+      } catch (e) {
+        if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+          e = new Error(e)
+        }
         console.log(e)
         execInfo = `tx runtime error :${e.message}`
       }
@@ -208,7 +214,10 @@ export async function runStateTest(options: any, testData: any, t: tape.Test) {
         await runTestCase(options, testCase, t)
       }
     }
-  } catch (e: any) {
+  } catch (e) {
+    if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+      e = new Error(e)
+    }
     console.log(e)
     t.fail(`error running test case for fork: ${options.forkConfigTestSuite}`)
   }
diff --git a/packages/vm/test/tester/testLoader.ts b/packages/vm/test/tester/testLoader.ts
index a7ad7fb22d..9678b62d93 100644
--- a/packages/vm/test/tester/testLoader.ts
+++ b/packages/vm/test/tester/testLoader.ts
@@ -89,7 +89,10 @@ export function getTestFromSource(file: string, onFile: Function) {
     .on('end', function () {
       try {
         test = JSON.parse(contents)
-      } catch (e: any) {
+      } catch (e) {
+        if (!(e instanceof Error)) {
+          e = new Error(e)
+        }
         onFile(e)
       }
 
diff --git a/packages/wallet/test/index.spec.ts b/packages/wallet/test/index.spec.ts
index b7c918d2bb..3bcbccd75a 100644
--- a/packages/wallet/test/index.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/wallet/test/index.spec.ts
@@ -116,7 +116,10 @@ describe('Wallet tests', () => {
   it('.toV3() should fail', async () => {
     try {
       await Wallet.fromPublicKey(pubKey).toV3('')
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         err.message.includes('This is a public key only wallet'),
         'fails to generate V3 when no private key present',
@@ -316,7 +319,10 @@ describe('Wallet tests', () => {
 
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3('testtest', { kdf: 'superkey' })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes('Unsupported kdf'), 'should fail for unsupported kdf')
     }
   }, 30000)
@@ -326,34 +332,52 @@ describe('Wallet tests', () => {
 
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3(pw, { salt: 'f' })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes(errStr))
     }
 
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3(pw, { salt: 'fff' })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes(errStr))
     }
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3(pw, { salt: 'xfff' })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes(errStr))
     }
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3(pw, { salt: 'fffx' })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes(errStr))
     }
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3(pw, { salt: 'fffxff' })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes(errStr))
     }
 
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3(pw, { salt: {} as never as undefined })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         err.message.includes(
           'Invalid salt, must be a string (empty or a non-zero even number of hex characters) or Uint8Array',
@@ -499,55 +523,85 @@ describe('Wallet tests', () => {
 
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3(pw, { iv: '' })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes(errStrLength))
     }
 
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3(pw, { iv: 'ff' })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes(errStrLength))
     }
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3(pw, { iv: 'ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff' })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes(errStrLength))
     }
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3(pw, { iv: 'xfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff' })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes(errStrLength))
     }
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3(pw, { iv: 'fffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffx' })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes(errStrLength))
     }
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3(pw, { iv: 'fffffffffffffffxffffffffffffffff' })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes(errStrLength))
     }
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3(pw, { iv: hexToBytes('0x') })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes(errBuffLength))
     }
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3(pw, { iv: hexToBytes('0xff') })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes(errBuffLength))
     }
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3(pw, {
         iv: hexToBytes('0xffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff'),
       })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes(errBuffLength))
     }
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3(pw, { iv: {} as never as any })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         err.message.includes(
           'Invalid iv, must be a string (32 hex characters) or Uint8Array (16 bytes)',
@@ -562,54 +616,84 @@ describe('Wallet tests', () => {
 
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3(pw, { uuid: '' })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes(errStrLength))
     }
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3(pw, { uuid: 'ff' })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes(errStrLength))
     }
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3(pw, { uuid: 'ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff' })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes(errStrLength))
     }
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3(pw, { uuid: 'xfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff' })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes(errStrLength))
     }
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3(pw, { uuid: 'fffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffx' })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes(errStrLength))
     }
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3(pw, { uuid: 'fffffffffffffffxffffffffffffffff' })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes(errStrLength))
     }
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3(pw, { uuid: hexToBytes('0x') })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes(errBuffLength))
     }
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3(pw, { uuid: hexToBytes('0xff') })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes(errBuffLength))
     }
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3(pw, {
         uuid: hexToBytes('0xffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff'),
       })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(err.message.includes(errBuffLength))
     }
     try {
       await fixtureWallet.toV3(pw, { uuid: {} as never as any })
-    } catch (err: any) {
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+        err = new Error(err)
+      }
       assert.ok(
         err.message.includes(
           'Invalid uuid, must be a string (32 hex characters) or Uint8Array (16 bytes)',
@@ -727,7 +811,10 @@ describe('Wallet tests', () => {
         '{"crypto":{"cipher":"aes-128-ctr","cipherparams":{"iv":"6087dab2f9fdbbfaddc31a909735c1e6"},"ciphertext":"5318b4d5bcd28de64ee5559e671353e16f075ecae9f99c7a79a38af5f869aa46","kdf":"pbkdf2","kdfparams":{"c":262144,"dklen":32,"prf":"hmac-sha256","salt":"ae3cd4e7013836a3df6bd7241b12db061dbe2c6785853cce422d148a624ce0bd"},"mac":"517ead924a9d0dc3124507e3393d175ce3ff7c1e96529c6c555ce9e51205e9b2"},"id":"3198bc9c-6672-5ab3-d995-4942343ae5b6","version":3}'
       try {
         await Wallet.fromV3(w, 'wrongtestpassword')
-      } catch (err: any) {
+      } catch (err) {
+        if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+          err = new Error(err)
+        }
         assert.ok(err.message.includes('Key derivation failed - possibly wrong passphrase'))
       }
     }, 30000)
@@ -744,7 +831,10 @@ describe('Wallet tests', () => {
 
       try {
         await Wallet.fromV3(w, 'testpassword')
-      } catch (err: any) {
+      } catch (err) {
+        if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+          err = new Error(err)
+        }
         // TODO: Determine if specific error message should be checked (different between NodeJS and browser)
         assert.ok(err !== undefined, 'threw error for broken input in strict mode')
       }
@@ -753,7 +843,10 @@ describe('Wallet tests', () => {
       const w = '{"version":2}'
       try {
         await Wallet.fromV3(w, 'testpassword')
-      } catch (err: any) {
+      } catch (err) {
+        if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+          err = new Error(err)
+        }
         assert.ok(err.message.includes('Not a V3 wallet'))
       }
     }, 30000)
@@ -761,7 +854,10 @@ describe('Wallet tests', () => {
       const w = '{"crypto":{"kdf":"superkey"},"version":3}'
       try {
         await Wallet.fromV3(w, 'testpassword')
-      } catch (err: any) {
+      } catch (err) {
+        if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+          err = new Error(err)
+        }
         assert.ok(err.message.includes('Unsupported key derivation scheme'))
       }
     }, 30000)
@@ -769,7 +865,10 @@ describe('Wallet tests', () => {
       const w = '{"crypto":{"kdf":"pbkdf2","kdfparams":{"prf":"invalid"}},"version":3}'
       try {
         await Wallet.fromV3(w, 'testpassword')
-      } catch (err: any) {
+      } catch (err) {
+        if (!(err instanceof Error)) {
+          err = new Error(err)
+        }
         assert.ok(err.message.includes('Unsupported parameters to PBKDF2'))
       }
     }, 30000)