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- Rosseti staff allegedly helped hide illegal crypto mining power use in the Moscow region.
- Meter tampering and inspection leaks have let mining farms avoid detection since 2024.
- Russia weighs wider crypto mining bans as grid losses and stability risks grow.
Russian police have detained seven employees of Rosseti Moscow Region over alleged involvement in illegal crypto Mining activity. As per the report, the suspects used internal access to hide electricity use at private mining farms. The case highlights mounting pressure on authorities to curb energy losses linked to unregulated mining.
Officials said the detained workers held technical roles within the power utility. Their positions ranged from field electricians to senior engineers with system-level access. Investigators believe that access allowed them to interfere with monitoring tools and consumption data.
Police allege the group provided paid services to crypto Mining operators. The services focused on disguising unusually high electricity demand created by industrial mining hardware. Authorities said the scheme helped mining farms avoid detection for extended periods.
According to investigators, the suspects altered electricity meter readings and internal usage records. These changes made actual consumption appear much lower than it was. Officials said this prevented automated alerts from flagging abnormal demand patterns.
Investigators also said the employees assisted miners in avoiding inspections. They allegedly warned operators about upcoming scheduled and surprise checks. This allowed miners to shut down equipment temporarily and present compliant conditions to inspectors.
Illegal Crypto Mining Data Centers Uncovered in Chekhov
The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed that officers uncovered two illegal mining data centers in the city of Chekhov. Both facilities were located on private property. Officials said the sites had been operating since 2024 without authorization or proper power supply agreements.
Preliminary estimates place the financial damage at roughly 10 million rubles. Authorities linked the losses to unbilled electricity and falsified consumption records. Law enforcement said financial audits and technical reviews are still ongoing.
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The Moscow region case follows similar enforcement actions elsewhere in Russia. In Transbaikalia, the Federal Security Service and regional police recently dismantled another illegal Crypto Mining operation. Officials said that case caused losses of about 5 million rubles.
According to investigators, the Transbaikalia plant was integrated with an industrial power grid. Power was used without metering or authorization. The agencies claimed that real usage had been intentionally low to evade detection.
Power Grid Stability Concerns Drive Proposed Crypto Mining Ban
Security officials cautioned that such practices could strain the local energy infrastructure. Unregulated Crypto Mining may increase the possibility of outage in all-time demand. According to the officials, grid stability is an increasing worry to the regional authorities.
These issues have made it to the national policy debates. According to the media, the government commission is deliberating on an extension of the crypto mining ban to a year-round beginning in 2026. The area that would be covered by the proposal is southern Buryatia and the Trans-Baikal Territory.
According to the Ministry of Energy, it was the Energy Legal Commission that was to make the final decision. According to officials, no other areas have officially requested this kind of ban. More extensive actions would demand additional technical and economic consultations.
There are already seasonal mining bans on Zabaikalsky Krai and southern Buryatia between November 15 and March 15. Approximately 320 megawatts of mining load were eliminated by a permanent ban in Irkutsk Oblast. It was alleged to enhance reputation in the grid by energy officials.
According to industry groups, tough restrictions cause miners to either move or abandon equipment. Law enforcement agencies insist that the security of energy infrastructure is the number one priority due to the ongoing saturation of the Russian power systems by crypto mining.
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