Sini: Suffolk county worker charged with running illegal cryptocurrency mining operation

From Newsday:

A veteran Suffolk County information technology supervisor was arrested Wednesday and charged with allegedly running a cryptocurrency mining operation out of the county clerk’s Riverhead office, prosecutors said.

The alleged Bitcoin mining, which went undetected for several months, cost county taxpayers some $6,000 in electricity and put at risk important county infrastructure, Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy Sini said.

“We will not tolerate county employees, who are already on the public payroll, to steal taxpayer money and illegally use government resources for their own personal gain,” Sini said at a news conference Wednesday.

Christopher Naples, 42, of Mattituck, turned himself in to authorities Wednesday morning and was charged with third-degree grand larceny, public corruption, computer trespassing and official misconduct.

Naples, who has worked for Suffolk County government since 2000, was the assistant manager of Information Technology Operations in the county clerk’s office.

A county government spokesman did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment on Naples’ employment status.

Naples’ attorney also did not respond to a message seeking comment.

Sini said authorities executed search warrants on Aug. 19 and found 46 cryptocurrency mining devices hidden in six different rooms — including under floors.

Sini said Naples admitted to installing the devices.