Bitcoins miners seized during a recent raid are displayed during a press conference at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya March 1, 2022. – Bernama pic
KUALA LUMPUR, March 3 — National power provider Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) today clarified that none of its employees took a bribe in the joint operation with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) against a bitcoin mining syndicate that was stealing millions of ringgit worth of electricity.
The company’s CEO, Datuk Baharin Din, said the need to clarify this came after misunderstandings and reporting errors which stated that TNB employees had received bribes from the bitcoin mining syndicate.
“The fact is, TNB’s covert operation with MACC requires being undercover to expose the activities of this syndicate.
“No TNB employee was detained because it was confirmed that no TNB employee received gifts from members of the syndicate,” he was quoted as saying by The Malaysian Reserve.
Baharin also shared his gratitude for the assistance by MACC as well as TNB operatives who have been involved in the operation which spanned over two years.
Recently, MACC and TNB in a joint operation dubbed Ops Power shut down 20 of the 998 premises operated by the syndicate and 18 people arrested. Enforcers also confiscated RM281,180 worth of cash.
“TNB management is also proud of the integrity of TNB employees who informed us about various attempts by syndicate members to bribe the team to prevent electricity theft. The partnership led to joint operations with MACC.
“MACC needs time to build a strong case to detect and trap the mastermind and the head of the syndicate, not just the operator or its employees. The success of the joint operation between MACC and TNB is what was announced in the media yesterday,” Baharin said.
MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said TNB’s losses since 2018 from bitcoin miners amounted to nearly RM2.3 billion from 7,209 reported cases.
He added that following the raids, assets worth a total of RM4,476,814.93 from 126 bank accounts belonging to 97 people and 29 companies have been frozen.
Among the other things confiscated by the MACC were 1,157 graphics processing units valued at RM2.3 million in total, RM82,000 in e-wallets and US$25,893.46 in cryptocurrency used by the syndicate.