Mexico City Lawmaker Proposes Up to 18 Years for Illegal Power Use in Crypto Mining

Mexico City lawmaker Alberto Martínez Urincho has proposed a federal criminal code amendment that would make illegal electricity use for crypto mining punishable by prison, fines and equipment confiscation. The proposed prison terms range from five to 12 years. In cases involving unauthorized connections to medium- or high-voltage lines, serious disruption to electricity supplies or concealed data center operations, the maximum sentence could rise to 18 years. Fines would equal 1,000 to 3,000 times the daily value of Mexico’s Unit of Measurement and Update (UMA). Equipment used in an offense could also be confiscated.