Crime

Ex-Cohasset town employee charged for allegedly stealing school’s electricity for crypto mining

The equipment was allegedly hidden in a crawlspace under the school by the town's then-assistant facilities director.

A cryptocurrency mining operation was discovered at Cohasset Middle/High School. Cohasset Public Schools

By Susannah Sudborough

1 minute to read

A former Cohasset town employee is facing criminal charges for allegedly stealing nearly $18,000 in electricity from Cohasset Middle/High School to power a cryptocurrency mining operation.

Nadeam Nahas, 39, allegedly hid the crypto mining operation, a scheme which can net users thousands of dollars, but requires large amounts of electricity, in a crawlspace under the school.

Local News

Cohasset Police Chief William Quigley said in a statement that in December 2021, police were called to the school by the director of facilities, who told them he had noticed something suspicious during a routine inspection of the school. The director told police he had found numerous electrical wires, temporary duct work, and computers that seemed out of place.

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Police said they soon discovered that a cryptocurrency mining operation that was illegally attached to the school’s electrical system had been set up in the crawlspace. The Coast Guard and Department of Homeland Security then helped police remove the equipment and determine who had placed it there.

After a three-month investigation, police said, they identified Nahas, the town of Cohasset assistant facilities director at the time, as a suspect. He was subsequently charged by criminal complaint with fraudulent use of electricity and vandalizing a school.

WCVB reported that Nahas stole $17,492 in electricity over the course of eight months.

Nahas resigned from his position with the town in early 2022, police said.

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Cohasset Public Schools Superintendent Patrick Sullivan said the district did not wish to comment on the charges.

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