Authorities have reavealed an official from a town in Massachusetts has been charged with operating an illegal crypto mining scheme in a crawl space at a local school.
The assistant facilities director, Nadeam Nahas, 39, plead not guilty on Friday at his court hearing. Authorities have charged the suspect with fraudulent electricity use and vandalisation.
The incident took place at Cohasset High School near Boston, the state’s capital city. The illegal mining operation consumed massive levels of electricity, triggering a tip-off to police in December 2021.
Police chief William Quigley told the BBC that Cohasset High School’s director of facilities found the operation in the crawl space.
He added: “Detectives interviewed the director, who said that during a routine inspection of the school he noticed electrical wires, temporary ductwork, and numerous computers that seemed out of place.”
According to ongoing investigations, authorities found computers running the mining operation. A three-month launched along with the US Coast Guard and Department of Homeland Securities led to Nahas’ arrest. Electricity costs totalled $17,500 USD, court documents seen by the Boston Globe show.
