Two Men in Heilongjiang, China Sentenced for Setting Up Bitcoin Mining Farm in Pigsty, Connected to High-Voltage Line; Ringleader Receives 10-Year Prison Term

BlockBeats News, April 3rd. According to China Newsweek, the People's Court of Honggang District, Daqing City, Heilongjiang Province, China, recently released a first-instance judgment. The court sentenced Zhang to ten years in prison and Zhao to four years and ten months in prison for the crime of theft. Zhang and Zhao, for the purpose of illegal gains, privately tapped into the oil field's high-voltage power line to "steal electricity" and set up 36 Bitcoin mining machines in an abandoned pigsty.

After trial, it was determined that on September 8, 2024, Zhang illegally connected to the oil field's high-voltage line of a certain oil extraction plant of a Daqing company in a slaughterhouse he rented, using stolen electricity to power Bitcoin mining machines. Zhang subsequently purchased 24 mining machines. Later, Zhang contacted Zhao to join him and jointly operate the Bitcoin mining machines.

On August 1, 2025, Zhang and Zhao were arrested by the police. It was calculated that Zhang stole 565375.2 kWh of electricity from the oil field, valued at RMB 438,580.52. Since December 12, 2024, Zhao stole 468060 kWh of electricity from the oil field, valued at RMB 363,750.78.

In conclusion, the court ruled: Zhang was guilty of theft and sentenced to ten years in prison, plus a fine of RMB 50,000; Zhao was guilty of theft and sentenced to four years and ten months in prison, plus a fine of RMB 20,000; Zhang was ordered to repay RMB 438,580.52, and Zhao was held jointly responsible for repaying RMB 363,750.78; the confiscated Bitcoin mining machines, phones, switches, transformers, and other items in this case will be handled by the public security organs according to law.