[Russian Ural Region Seizes 10k Mining Machines in Illegal Mining Operation, Nearly 1 Billion Rubles in Electricity Losses]

A large illegal cryptocurrency mining farm was uncovered in Nizhny Tagil, Sverdlovsk Oblast, and the nearby Kushva area. The farm was hidden within an abandoned industrial park, with approximately 10k mining machines deployed. It was dismantled through joint efforts by the Federal Security Service (FSB), police, and the electric utility company. The local power company estimates that the long-term illegal electricity consumption caused losses close to 1 billion rubles (about $12.7 million). Investigators stated that its power usage was sufficient to meet the lighting needs of a small city. Law enforcement has detained three suspects, who are currently under house arrest, and are investigating for property damage caused by deception or abuse of trust. Under Russian law, those involved could face up to five years in prison. The investigation revealed that the mining operation accessed the power grid through intermediary agencies and allegedly tampered with meter data to conceal actual electricity consumption. Authorities said the actual power usage was about twice the approved limit. The local energy department initially launched the investigation due to frequent voltage fluctuations, power outages, and equipment failures in the abandoned factory area, ultimately locating the mining farm. Local TV stations also produced a documentary titled "Mining" documenting this operation$BTC