SBU: Bitcoin miners near Kyiv stole electricity worth 3.5 million hryvnias

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) discovered in the Kyiv region an underground mining farm, the owners of which allegedly stole electricity worth 3.5 million hryvnias (over $128,000).

According to the investigation, three local residents rented a hangar in the Bucha district and placed ASIC miners there.

They connected to the power substation bypassing the meter, hence paying only nominal sums.

Law enforcement authorities seized mining devices valued at more than 6 million hryvnias (about $220,000 at the time of writing).

A criminal case has been opened into the fraud. To determine the exact extent of the damage, investigators will conduct computer-technical and economic examinations of the equipment.

Earlier in November, the SBU uncovered a mining farm in the Cherkasy region that amounting to more than 6 million hryvnias of electricity was stolen.

Mining in Ukraine is not illegal, provided it does not involve unauthorised connections to the power grid for this activity.

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