Bitcoin is a controversial digital currency that can be sent from user to user through a network, without the need for a bank or mediator. The value is guaranteed by the network of users, though the actual value of the coins that are mined can be very volatile. Mining for cryptocurrency can also be very expensive process. Now, one IT supervisor, in the state of New York, is accused of costing the local government thousand of dollars in bills in a cryptocurrency scheme. What happened?

According to KIRO, the 42-year-old man from Mattituck hid multiple devices in six different rooms at the Suffolk County Center. Prosecutors say some of these device have been running since February, which will end up costing the county at least $6,000 in electricity bills. The Associated Press says he is being charged with a number of counts including public corruption, grand larceny, and computer trespass. The Suffolk County District Attorney goes on to say that the suspect utilized unused electrical wall panels and even used the underneath of floorboards.

The New York Times says the process takes an enormous amount of electricity to power the various devices to mine Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. The county IT worker is facing up to 15 years if convicted of the top charge, according to the Times. As a taxpayer, do you ever wonder what some of the employees who work in local government are up to behind the scenes?

Mining cryptocurrency requires an enormous amount of resources, and miners have to navigate how to cover all of those electricity and cooling costs. (The suspect) found a way to do it; unfortunately, it was on the backs of taxpayers.

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