Veliky Novgorod: Four Detained Over 18.6M Rubles in Mining-Linked Electricity Theft

Police in Veliky Novgorod have detained four local residents on suspicion of organizing illegal cryptocurrency mining that cost regional utility AO Novgorodoblenergo more than 18.6 million rubles, according to the Interior Ministry's MVD Media service.

The economic security and anti-corruption unit of the regional police department carried out the arrests with support from Rosgvardia. Investigators say the suspects, aged 30 to 50, ran nine mining farms in garage boxes around the city from September 2025, distorting meter readings to cut their electricity bills. Seized items included computer equipment, laptops with crypto wallets, bank cards, phones and documents linked to the case.

A criminal case has been opened under Article 165, Part 2, items (a) and (b) of the Russian Criminal Code, which covers property damage through deception or abuse of trust committed by a group. The case follows an April accusation in the Irkutsk region over alleged mining damage exceeding 40 million rubles, and comes as Russia prepares to ban mining in Moscow, Moscow Oblast and eight municipalities of Kursk Oblast from 15 August 2026 to 31 December 2032.

Why the Irkutsk Precedent and the 2026 Mining Ban Point the Same Way

What the 18.6 million ruble loss means for Novgorodoblenergo

For a regional utility, that sum is more than an accounting line. The electricity was consumed but never paid for, so Novgorodoblenergo still carries the supply costs while its revenue falls. Unpaid losses of this kind are often spread across honest ratepayers through future tariffs.

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The legal charge also matters: Article 165 treats the alleged scheme as damage caused by deception, reflecting the use of tampered meters rather than straightforward theft.

Why the Irkutsk case and the 2026 ban point the same way

The Novgorod arrests follow an April case in which a company deputy director in the Irkutsk region was accused of illegal mining with alleged damage above 40 million rubles. On top of that, a mining ban takes effect on 15 August 2026 in Moscow, Moscow Oblast and eight municipalities of Kursk Oblast, running to 31 December 2032.

Together, the criminal cases and the territorial ban suggest the authorities now treat illegal mining as both an economic crime and a grid problem, with enforcement aimed at the people running the equipment, not just the hardware.

What the Novgorod Case and the 2026 Mining Ban Mean for Miners and Utilities

For miners and utilities, the case draws a clear line.

  • Crypto miners in Russia should treat meter tampering as a criminal risk: the Novgorod case shows operators, not just equipment, face prosecution, and from 15 August 2026 mining is banned in Moscow, Moscow Oblast and eight municipalities of Kursk Oblast until 31 December 2032.
  • Utilities and grid companies can expect more joint enforcement operations with police and Rosgvardia, and can use unusual consumption spikes in garage or industrial spaces as a screening signal.