Nadeam Nahas is a 39 year old man from Cohasset, Massachusetts. He worked for Cohasset Middle/High School. Police have accused Nahas of illegally using the school’s electrical system to run a crypto mining operation.
Nadeam Nahas Allegations
Nahas Arrested, Accused Of Crypto Mining. “Officially, Nadeam Nahas worked for the Cohasset school system in the facilities department. But the Cohasset Police Department alleges he also secretly operated a cryptocurrency mine inside a crawlspace in Cohasset Middle/High School, stealing nearly $18,000 in electricity from the district to do so. In December 2021, school staff called Cohasset police after finding multiple computers, wires, and ventilation equipment inside a crawlspace in the building that houses Cohasset Middle and High School. Police say the town’s IT director recognized the setup as a crypto mine, and town investigators enlisted the help of the Department of Homeland Security to remove the equipment and examine it.” [WCVB]
School Found Crypto Mining Equipment In Secret Location. “The director told detectives that he noticed electrical wires, temporary duct work and numerous computers that seemed out of place during a routine inspection of the school, according to police. The department said it found the set up was a cryptocurrency mining operation that was “unlawfully attached to the school electrical system.” The equipment was removed and forensically examined by Cohasset police, with the help of the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service and the Department of Homeland Security, authorities said.” [NBC]
Multiple Charges Filed Vs Nahas. “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.” [Boston.com]
Nahas Ordered To Stay Away From Public Buildings. “Nahas was ordered to stay away from all public buildings in Cohassett, Traub said. He is due back in court on May 17 for a pretrial conference. Nahas’s lawyer, Michael McCarthy, said his client denies the allegations but declined further comment in an e-mail after Friday’s arraignment.” [Globe]
Crypto Mining Used For Currencies Like Bitcoin. “Crypto mining is the process that creates digital currencies like Bitcoin. Transactions are verified on a decentralized digital network called a blockchain. Rather than relying on central authorities like banks to manage transactions, the blockchain uses a distributed network of computers to validate and keep secure, transparent records of all transactions. The mining process requires computers to solve complex mathematical problems using special hardware and software. Miners compete to solve these problems, and the first miner to find a solution is rewarded with a new cryptocurrency and transaction fees from the verified transactions. The problem for the environment and the Cohasset school system (in this case) is that mining requires a lot of computational power. That means high electricity usage, which generates a lot of heat. Miners in the above-board operations must invest in specialized equipment and pay for those high electricity costs.” [Entrepreneur]
One of the first political bloggers in the world, Oliver Willis has operated OliverWillis.com since 2000. Contributor at Media Matters for America and The American Independent. Follow on Twitter at @owillis. Full bio.
You must be logged in to post a comment.