- Illegal crypto mining farm uncovered in 1771-built Moscow prison.
- Charges of illicit mining and stealing electricity have been pressed against a deputy warden.
- The Deputy Energy Minister believes legalizing mining would reduce the problem of power shortage.
Russian Law Enforcement officials have uncovered an illegal crypto mining operation at Russia’s oldest prison. A deputy warden of Moscow’s Butyrskaya prison has been accused of setting up the mining farm by stealing electricity with the help of unauthorized accomplices.
The Russian Federation’s Investigative Committee confiscated digital coin mining hardware from the premises of the prison’s psychiatric clinic. The investigation revealed that the high-ranking representative of the management, the deputy warden, with the help of some coworkers, established this mining farm in November 2021 and carried out mining till February 2022.
During this period, the machines operated for mining used above 8,400 kW of electricity, which was paid for by the government at a cost of over 62,000 rubles ($1,000).
The accusation a …