“Officers of the MIA of Russia GA for St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region identified individuals who could be involved in illegal profit-making by means of unauthorized connection to electric networks for the purpose of cryptocurrency mining. The offenders used modified electric meters programmed to underestimate the readings of energy consumption.

According to available information, to create the so-called crypto farms, illegal connection to electric networks and the installation of special equipment for cryptocurrency mining at eight different facilities were carried out. Among them were an abandoned building of a former poultry farm in the village of Leskolovo, Vsevolozhsky District of the Leningrad Region, a recreation center building in the village of Roshchino, as well as a number of residential premises.

According to preliminary information, the damage to energy companies amounted monthly to about 15 million rubles, the same amount the offenders received as illegal income.

The accomplices sent the generated cryptocurrency, to exchanges located outside the Russian Federation and then cashed out.

An investigator of the GA for Investigation of the MIA of Russia GA for Saint Petersburg and the Leningrad Region initiated a criminal case on the features of an offense stipulated by part 2 of Article 273 of the RF Criminal Code.

With the participation of the Rosgvardia, 20 searches were carried out, during which one and a half thousand units of special equipment, more than two million rubles, 100 modified electric meters programmed to underestimate the readings of energy consumption, with remote controls were found. 150 seals and holographic labels with obvious signs of forgery, 5 sealers, 10 devices for opening and modifying of certified electricity consumption metering devices were also seized. In addition, smartphones with correspondence of evidentiary value for the criminal case were seized.

Currently, a resident of St. Petersburg has been detained on suspicion of organizing this illegal act. Nine of his alleged accomplices were delivered to the police,” said the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs Irina Volk.