Russian State Duma Approves Criminal Liability Bill for Illegal Mining

Odaily reported that the Russian State Duma Committee on State Construction and Legislation recommended the first reading of a government bill on criminal liability for illegal cryptocurrency mining. The bill will add Article 171.6 to the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, holding liable those who engage in mining activities not included in the state register or provide mining infrastructure operation services without a license.

If the illegal income or damages exceed 3.5 million rubles, the offender will face a fine of up to 1.5 million rubles or compulsory labor for up to two years. If committed by an organized group or if the income exceeds 13 million rubles, the maximum fine reaches 2.5 million rubles, with imprisonment for up to five years. All violators will have their mined cryptocurrency confiscated. Currently, about 50,000 entities are engaged in mining in Russia, but only 1,489 are included in the register.