The employee of the New York county clerk’s office is accused of illegally mining cryptocurrency with more than 40 machines.
Christopher Naples, a supervisor of information technology operations at the Suffolk County clerk’s office in New York, is accused of using his position to place crypto mining equipment in several locations at the Riverhead Center in the county where he was employed.
AP News reported on Wednesday that the city of Naples allegedly put up 46 crypto mining devices “in locations such as an unused electrical wall panel or underneath floorboards,” according to a statement posted on the news website.
Crypto mining can be a costly undertaking, necessitating the purchase of specialized equipment for the task at hand as well as the increase in electricity bills in areas where the mining apparatuses are located. Mining equipment can also generate significant amounts of heat, which adds to the complexity of the situation.
A quotation from Timothy Sini, the district attorney for Suffolk County, is included in the statement.
He says, “Mining cryptocurrency necessitates the use of enormous amounts of resources, and miners must figure out how to cover all of the associated electricity and cooling costs.” Nassau “found a way to do it,” Sini continued. “Unfortunately for taxpayers, they did it on their own dime.”
According to the statement, the worker’s activities resulted in $6,000 or more in electrical costs being borne by Suffolk County as a result of his or her efforts.
Naples is facing a number of legal accusations, including grand larceny, and may face a sentence of up to 15 years in prison if convicted. Naples was freed from custody without being required to post bond while he awaits the outcome of his legal processes.
Sini stated the following during a press conference on Wednesday, according to a Newsday article:
“We will not tolerate county employees, who are already on the public payroll, to steal taxpayer money and illegally use government resources for their own personal gain.”
