Cambodia deports Russian over crypto mining fraud

Cambodian authorities have extradited a Russian citizen accused of stealing crypto mining equipment worth over 3.6 million rubles. He was wanted by Interpol for fraud charges.

Deportation and handover to Russian authorities

Cambodian law enforcement, acting on a request from Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office, deported a Russian national suspected of crypto mining equipment theft. He was handed over to Interpol representatives at Phnom Penh airport.

According to investigators, the suspect, Roman Pichugin from Irkutsk, ran a fraudulent mining scheme in 2021–2022. Using social media ads, he attracted owners of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency mining rigs, offering to host the devices in his mining center.

Details of the fraudulent scheme

Prosecutors noted that Pichugin acted with accomplices. In one case, he persuaded a client to transfer ASIC miners into temporary use but failed to fulfill his obligations. The equipment, valued at more than 3.6 million rubles, was never returned.

He later fled from investigators, leading to his arrest warrant and inclusion on Interpol’s wanted list. In December 2024, a Russian court issued a detention order in absentia.

Criminal charges and industry risks

In Russia, Pichugin faces charges under Article 159, Part 4 of the Criminal Code for large-scale fraud. Legal experts warn that such cases damage trust in the cryptocurrency mining sector and highlight the risks of transferring mining hardware without proper contracts.

Analysts emphasize that transparency, legal safeguards, and verified hosting partners are essential for protecting crypto mining investments.