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Seized PS4 consoles in Ukraine used for FIFA accounts, not crypto mining

July 19, 2021 Coin Telegraph

Coin Telegraph

The gaming hardware confiscated by the Ukrainian police was being used to create in-game currency and not for farming cryptocurrency.

Last week, Cointelegraph reported on the seizure of 3,800 PlayStation consoles allegedly being used to mine cryptocurrency. The confiscated gaming units were among a stash of hardware discovered by Ukrainian authorities during a raid on a farmhouse accused of tampering with electric meters to steal power from the local grid.

Based on the initial reports at the time, the PS4 consoles, graphics cards, processing units and other hardware found at the scene was being used for illegal crypto mining operations.

However, according to an investigation by Ukrainian business publication Delo, the seized PlayStation consoles were being used to generate cards and coins for FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT), a game mode in the popular FIFA football game title.

Players usually have to earn FUT coins and cards by winning football matches in the game, but the busted warehouse was allegedly generating black market variants of these in-game items. According to Delo, Ukraine’s Secret Service has yet to confirm or deny its findings, with the agency electing to keep details of the ongoing investigation under wraps.

Cointelegraph’s initial report did cast doubts on the likelihood of the illegal operation being used for crypto mining stating:

“PlayStation 4 is not the ideal rig to mine cryptocurrency. Given its slightly outdated configuration compared to many mining rigs available today, even a 16-console PS4 setup would fail to generate meaningful returns with legal electricity usage.”

However, using gaming hardware to mine cryptocurrencies is not unheard of and has in fact been linked with graphics processing unit (GPU) shortages for non-crypto mining users. Increasing demand for GPUs from miners coupled with a global semiconductor shortage saw budget PC gamers unable to secure next-generation graphics cards for their hardware.

Ukraine’s ‘Largest Illegal’ Mining Facility May Have Been a FIFA Bot Farm

July 18, 2021 Bitcoin.com

Ukrainian police seize 3,800 PS4 consoles used for illegal crypto mining

July 12, 2021 Coin Telegraph

Bitcoin

Miners used an empty warehouse of an electricity supply company to plug into the grid and mine crypto on a variety of devices, including gaming consoles.

Ukrainian authorities have raided an allegedly illicit crypto farm in the country. According to an official announcement from the Security Service of Ukraine (SU), the facility was located on the former premises of JSC Vinnytsiaoblenerho, an electricity supply company.

The illegal crypto miners concealed their activities by manipulating electricity meters to steal electricity from JSC Vinnytsiaoblenerho.

Described as the largest underground mining operation discovered by the Ukrainian police, the farm housed nearly 5,000 computer equipment units, including 3,800 PlayStation 4 consoles, over 500 graphics cards, 50 processing units, notebooks, phones and flash drives.

The SBU estimated the state’s monthly losses due to electricity theft —which had the potential to cause electricity shortages for the entire city of Vinnytsa — to range between $186,200 and $259,300.

Several estimates show that Sony’s last-gen gaming console, PlayStation 4, is not the ideal rig to mine cryptocurrency. Given its slightly outdated configuration compared to many mining rigs available today, even a 16-console PS4 setup would fail to generate meaningful returns with legal electricity usage.

Ukraine was ranked as the world’s leader in Chainalysis’ Global Crypto Adoption Index last year. The Eastern European country is trying to lead the region with crypto-friendly initiatives such as the proposal of a bill that aims to determine the legal status of crypto assets, including rules for their circulation and issuance in the country.

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