The Russian State Duma committee recommends that the bill on criminal liability for illegal cryptocurrency mining be passed on its first reading.

CoinFeed reported on May 9th that, according to Bits.media, the State Duma's Committee on State Construction and Legislation recommended the first reading of a bill on criminal liability for illegal cryptocurrency mining submitted by the government. This bill will add Article 171.6 to the Criminal Code, "Illegal Mining of Digital Assets and Activities of Mining Infrastructure Operators," applicable to mining activities not included in the state register and the unlicensed provision of mining infrastructure services. Penalties will vary depending on the severity of the crime: those who earn or cause losses exceeding 3.5 million rubles may be fined up to 1.5 million rubles or two years' income, or sentenced to forced labor for up to two years; those involved in organized groups or whose earnings exceed 13 million rubles may be fined up to 2.5 million rubles or three years' income, sentenced to forced labor or imprisonment for up to five years, and may be subject to an additional fine of up to 400,000 rubles or six months' income. All cases stipulate the confiscation of mined cryptocurrency.