In Voronezh, an engineer established a network of illegal farms for cryptocurrency mining., 2026/04/02 11:40:46

In Voronezh, the chief security engineer of an energy supply company set up illegal mining farms in three rented apartments and a storage facility. This information was reported by the regional department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The investigation was prompted by a complaint from the owner of one of the apartments. He was unable to access the rented property as the tenant had changed the locks and ceased communication. Upon forcing open the door, police officers found operational cryptocurrency mining equipment and a remote surveillance system.

According to law enforcement, the tenant is a 41-year-old professional serving as the chief security engineer at a local energy supply company. Preliminary reports indicate that he rented three apartments in the Railway District and a storage space in the Soviet District.

The investigation suggests that illegal connections to the electrical grid were established at all locations, bypassing metering devices. During the searches, police seized 43 mining devices along with related equipment, including routers and cameras for remote monitoring.

A review of the suspect’s actions is underway. His conduct has been classified under Article 165 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which pertains to causing property damage through deception or abuse of trust. Authorities are determining the extent of the damage and investigating the potential involvement of other individuals, including employees of the energy company.

Previously, officers from the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the Republic of Ingushetia uncovered an illegal mining farm located on the premises of a farming enterprise in the city of Malgobek. The damage from electricity consumption amounted to nearly 1.5 million rubles.