Bulgarian Crypto Miners Stole Electricity For $1.5 Mln

Representatives of the Oblast Directorate of the Ministry of Interior Affairs (ODMVR) and the utility company CEZ Electro Bulgaria spoke at a press conference, stating that two Bulgarian citizens, aged 31 and 38, had been convicted of stealing electricity for their two illegal cryptocurrency mining farms. The data suggests that the mining equipment has been on the farm for over a year.

The deputy director of the utility company, Philip YORDANOV, said it was the largest electricity theft the utility company has ever discovered. The stolen electricity would be enough for about a month to power a neighboring town.

Unscrupulous crypto miners in many countries regularly try to use electricity from the grid. In July 2019, one of the largest thefts occurred in China. 22 suspects were arrested for their involvement in the illegal mining of cryptocurrencies using stolen electricity worth $3 mln. The police confiscated 4,000 pieces of mining equipment from nine farms.

Image courtesy of EnergyMedia