According to Odaily, Paraguayan Senator Salyn Buzarquis has harshly criticized the National Electricity Authority (ANDE) of Paraguay, accusing its senior officials of accepting bribes to allow illegal Bitcoin mining operations. Buzarquis alleges that these unnamed officials receive up to $500,000 in bribes each month and has called for ANDE President Felix Sosa to resign or face questioning on the matter.
In response, ANDE issued a statement denying these allegations, emphasizing that companies in the country have been harmed in their efforts to combat energy theft. The statement declared, 'Our institution is characterized by its frontal attack on such punishable actions (especially illegal cryptocurrency mining activities).' Last week, ANDE announced an increase in electricity rates for legal cryptocurrency mining operators in Paraguay, with the highest increase reaching 14%.
Previously, employees of the National Electricity Management Authority (ANDE) of Paraguay were accused of directly participating in the establishment of illegal Bitcoin mines in Paraguay. Seven engineers employed by the National Electricity Management Authority were implicated in organizing illegal connections to provide electricity for Bitcoin operations in Paraguay.
Felix Sosa, the director of the National Electricity Management Authority, clarified that the organization's internal audit department is conducting checks and investigations into the organization. All relevant information will be submitted to the National Prosecutor's Office for further investigation. However, Sosa stated that the employees of the national electricity company have not been responsible for the execution of electrical connections for some time, and this function has been delegated to third-party contractors. Since December of the previous year, ANDE has been battling illegal Bitcoin mining connections and has already cut off power to more than 70 mines that were directly extracting unmeasured electricity from the grid.
