Russian Organizes Underground Crypto Farm in a Container
A Russian entrepreneur established an underground cryptocurrency mining farm inside a metal container in a residential area of Shelekhov, Irkutsk Oblast. According to the regional prosecutor's office, the operation, set up in February, involved 27 mining devices. Investigators allege the equipment was illegally connected to the power grid, bypassing electricity meters, to mine cryptocurrency without paying for the substantial energy consumed.
The estimated damages to the power supply company exceed 23 million rubles. Authorities have shut down the illegal farm and seized all the equipment. A criminal case has been initiated for property damage through fraud or abuse of trust, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine.
This incident occurs in a region where cryptocurrency mining faces restrictions. Since April 7, 2025, a ban on mining has been in effect across 29 municipalities in southern Irkutsk Oblast, including Shelekhov and its district, applying to individuals, entrepreneurs, and legal entities. Previously, police in the region discovered another illegal mining farm located in a forest belt near the village of Stolbova.
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