BitRiver Founder Detained Over $12M Fraud Allegations Linked to En+

Moscow's Zamoskvoretsky District Court has changed Igor Runets' custody from house arrest to pretrial detention, alleging large-scale fraud tied to a disputed cryptocurrency-mining equipment contract with En+, owned by Oleg Deripaska.

Runets is the founder and former CEO of BitRiver, Russia's largest mining operation, with 175,000 rigs across 15 data centers drawing 533 megawatts. He faces up to 10 years in prison under the fraud charge, which investigators estimate caused nearly ₽1 billion (about $12 million) in damage.

The case dates back to January 2026, when an investigation into Runets began over alleged tax evasion, expanding to the contract dispute with En+ in April 2025. The dispute centers on Infrastructure of Siberia's claim that it paid ₽700 million (about $8.4 million) for mining equipment that was never delivered.

Runets denies the allegations, stating that the equipment was indeed delivered and Fox Group is appealing the arbitration ruling. He also plans to pursue En+ for losses his companies suffered during shutdowns.