[Illegal Mining Farm with 10,000 Machines Seized in Russia's Ural Region, Electricity Losses Near 1 Billion Rubles] BlockBeats reports, on June 2, according to Bits.media, a large illegal cryptocurrency mining farm was uncovered in Nizhny Tagil and the neighboring Kushva region of Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia. The mining farm was hidden within an abandoned industrial complex and deployed approximately 10,000 mining machines. It was shut down through a joint operation by the Federal Security Service (FSB), police, and the local power company. The local power company estimated that the mining farm's prolonged unauthorized electricity usage caused losses nearing 1 billion rubles (approximately $12.7 million). Investigators stated that the farm's electricity consumption was sufficient to power a small city. Law enforcement has arrested three suspects, who are currently under house arrest, and launched an investigation under the charge of "causing property damage through deception or abuse of trust." Under Russian law, those involved could face up to five years in prison. The investigation revealed that the operators of the mining farm connected to the power grid through intermediaries and allegedly tampered with electricity meter data to conceal their actual consumption. Law enforcement agencies reported that the farm's actual electricity usage was about twice the approved amount. The local energy department initially launched an investigation due to frequent voltage fluctuations, power outages, and equipment failures in the abandoned factory area, which eventually led them to the mining farm's location. A local television station also produced a documentary titled *Mining* to document this operation. [Original Link]