In the Lviv region, the management of the branch of the state-owned enterprise "Forests of Ukraine" organized an underground data center for cryptocurrency mining in the office premises of "Rava-Rus Forestry".
According to preliminary estimates, losses from such activities, which lasted more than a year, amounted to more than 1.5 million hryvnias, and those involved earned at least 4 million hryvnias, according to the State Bureau of Investigation on Facebook.
It is noted that the crypto farm was organized by:
- ex-director (now heads another branch);
- his deputy (acting director);
- Chief Accountant;
- other persons
SBI spokeswoman Olga Chikanova said that the state enterprise paid for the electricity, and the perpetrators received a net profit. The generated cryptocurrency was stored in specially created crypto wallets of officials.
She emphasized that due to the systematic overloading of utility networks, blackouts and large-scale power outages occurred in residential areas and critical infrastructure facilities.
Chikanova added that during the investigation, technical equipment of the mining center and documents confirming criminal activity were found in the premises of the state structure. The estimated value of the seized equipment is more than 3 million UAH.
It is noted that the SBI has initiated criminal proceedings on the fact of embezzlement of state property. Perpetrators face imprisonment for 5 to 8 years. Investigations are ongoing.
As EcoPolitic reported before, the State Agency of Forest Resources stated that scandalous interim report "Natsresurs" of the Temporary Investigative Commission of the Verkhovna Rada contains baseless accusations, unconfirmed facts and unreliable data after half a year of work.
