Paraguay Court Convicts Two Bitcoin Miners for Energy Theft on June 19, 2-Year Sentence Suspended

According to an announcement from the National Power Administration of Paraguay (ANDE) on June 19, a Paraguayan court convicted two Bitcoin miners, Cristian Daniel Jara Villalba and Ramon Martinez Morinigo, of energy theft. The court sentenced both men to two years in jail, though the execution of the sentence was suspended.

The miners had allegedly bypassed the metering system and connected directly to the power grid to obtain free electricity for their mining operations. ANDE emphasized that the ruling sets a significant legal precedent, as it holds not only those who make illegal connections accountable, but also property owners who permit or benefit from such activities. ANDE stated it maintains a zero-tolerance policy against illegal mining and energy theft, vowing to strengthen controls to combat further violations.