BlockBeats report: On April 3, according to China News Weekly, the Honggang District People's Court in Daqing, Heilongjiang Province, China, recently issued a first-instance verdict, sentencing Zhang to ten years in prison and Zhao to four years and ten months in prison for theft. Zhang and Zhao illegally connected to the oilfield’s high-voltage power line to steal electricity and operated 36 Bitcoin mining machines in an abandoned pigsty.
After investigation, it was found that on September 8, 2024, Zhang stole electricity by privately connecting to the high-voltage power line of a certain oil production plant of Daqing Co., Ltd., using the stolen power to operate Bitcoin mining machines installed in an abandoned pigpen within a slaughterhouse facility he had rented. Zhang purchased a total of 24 mining machines. Subsequently, Zhang contacted Zhao to invite him to join as a partner in operating the Bitcoin mining machines.
On August 1, 2025, Zhang and Zhao were apprehended by public security authorities. Calculations revealed that Zhang stole 565,375.2 kilowatt-hours of electricity from the oil field, valued at RMB 438,580.52. Zhao, starting from December 12, 2024, stole 468,060 kilowatt-hours of electricity from the oil field, valued at RMB 363,750.78.
In summary, the court ruled that Zhang was guilty of theft and sentenced to ten years in prison with a fine of RMB 50,000; Zhao was guilty of theft and sentenced to four years and ten months in prison with a fine of RMB 20,000; Zhang is ordered to compensate RMB 438,580.52, and Zhao bears joint liability for the repayment of RMB 363,750.78 thereof; the bitcoin mining machines, mobile phones, switches, transformers, and other items seized in this case shall be handled by the public security organs in accordance with the law.