Authorities in Hong Kong have arrested two local technicians accused of secretly running a cryptocurrency mining setup inside facilities for the disabled. By tapping into the buildings’ electricity and internet, they allegedly racked up soaring energy bills and slowed down the network—raising suspicions that led to a police raid.
What Happened?
The case came to light when staff noticed unusually high electricity charges, with some bills shooting up by as much as HK$9,000 (about $1,150). Alongside this, internet performance inside the facilities noticeably deteriorated. Both red flags triggered further checks and eventually brought the matter to law enforcement.
Investigators revealed that the men, aged 32 and 33, had installed eight cryptocurrency mining rigs inside suspended ceilings across two separate care home offices—five located in Sham Shui Po and another three in Kwun Tong.
How They Operated
The miners reportedly ran nonstop, drawing power and bandwidth from the care homes’ infrastructure. During a routine inspection, the IT department discovered unauthorized devices hidden above the ceiling tiles.
Inspector Ng Tsz-wing of the Sham Shui Po district’s financial crime division explained that the suspects exploited ongoing renovation work in August to secretly wire the miners into the facilities’ electrical and network systems. From there, the rigs continuously mined cryptocurrency without the institutions’ knowledge.
Both suspects, who had been employed for several years by an engineering firm, were arrested last Friday in Mong Kok and Sham Shui Po. Police described the operation as an isolated case rather than part of a broader criminal network.
Legal and Industry Reaction
The care facilities involved have not been publicly identified, but the investigation remains active. Under Hong Kong’s Theft Ordinance, illegally using electricity can result in a prison term of up to five years.
Authorities warned the public to remain alert during construction or system upgrades. Inspector Ng advised residents and institutions to carefully track electricity usage and internet performance—and report any suspicious activity to police.
Francis Fong Po-kiu, honorary chairman of the Hong Kong Information Technology Federation, highlighted the enormous power demand of crypto mining. “It’s like running your air conditioning nonstop,” he explained, noting that the high costs can tempt individuals to cut corners illegally in pursuit of Bitcoin and other digital assets.
Related Case Abroad
This incident follows another high-profile cryptojacking case overseas. In the United States, Charles O. Parks III, also known online as “CP3O”, was sentenced to a year and one day in prison after orchestrating a $4.5 million illegal mining scheme.
According to the Department of Justice, Parks exploited major cloud service providers between January and August 2021, diverting their computing power and storage to mine cryptocurrency. He then cashed out the profits, funding a lavish lifestyle that included luxury hotels, jewelry, a Mercedes-Benz, and first-class travel.
Despite portraying himself as a successful self-made crypto investor, authorities confirmed that his wealth was entirely built on fraud.
