Russia arrests 7 employees for illegal crypto mining

In Russia, seven employees of the state energy company Rosseti have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in illegal crypto mining. The fraud is said to have caused the energy supplier millions of rubles in damage. The Russian government is now significantly stepping up the fight against power theft by miners.

Energy company involved in illegal mining

Russian police arrested seven employees of grid operator Rosseti. This would involve personnel with various positions, ranging from electricians to chief engineers.

According to local media, the suspects helped manipulate electricity meters, evade inspections and leak internal information for a fee. This allowed two mining centers in the city of Chekhov, near Moscow, to operate out of sight of regulators for years. The damage is estimated by the Ministry of the Interior at approximately 10 million rubles, equivalent to $127,000.

Russia intensifies the fight against illegal crypto mining

The arrests are part of a broader national approach. Earlier this month, a major illegal operation was discovered in Transbaikalia, where power was tapped at the expense of a mining and chemical company. The damage there ran into millions.

In some regions, such as Southern Buryatia and the Transbaikal region, bills are now being prepared that should completely ban mining from 2026.

14,000 illegal crypto miners rounded up in Malaysia

Illegal crypto mining is not unique to Russia. In Malaysia, it is now a national crisis, according to energy supplier Tenaga Nasional. Power theft by Bitcoin (BTC) miners is said to have cost the company more than $1.1 billion.

The Malaysian government says it has rounded up approximately 14,000 illegal mining sites in the past five years. These were often hidden in vacant buildings or houses. Miners try to evade detection with heat shields, camera surveillance and even the use of nature sounds.

To better manage the situation, the government is now deploying drones, mobile surveillance teams and a special task force. First, Deputy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir emphasizes that power theft causes serious economic damage. In addition, according to him, it poses a direct threat to the national infrastructure. That is why there is now serious talk in Malaysia about a total ban on crypto mining.