Russian man sentenced to three years in prison for stealing friend's mining rig

According to Cointelegraph on August 30, authorities in Russia’s Zavolzhsky district identified a 34-year-old local man as having stolen cryptocurrency mining equipment worth more than 1.6 million rubles (nearly $22,000).

According to a report shared by the Yaroslavl District Prosecutor's Office, state prosecutors confirmed that a Yaroslavl resident was found illegally entering a friend's garage in February 2021 and stealing mining equipment intended to be used to earn cryptocurrency.

The authorities found the Russian man guilty of large-scale theft of property and illegal entry. In court, the criminal reportedly admitted the charges and voluntarily returned the stolen crypto mining equipment to its original owner. In addition, he admitted to the court that he could not use the stolen equipment for mining due to "lack of relevant knowledge." Based on the findings, the court sentenced the man to "three years of probation."