The Broad Front for Unity accuses leaders of the entity of stealing energy in at least five units to mine cryptocurrencies.

The Broad Front for Unity 'Jorge Tapia Sandoval' (FAU), an association defending Mexican electricians, denounced a scheme of systematic theft of electrical energy for cryptocurrency mining, such as Bitcoin, at the facilities of the Electricians' Union of Mexico (SME).

According to the group, whose majority are dissidents from the SME, the illegal activity has been occurring for years with the knowledge and complicity of union leaders, including the newly inaugurated secretary-general Martín Esparza Flores, who is set to lead the entity for the next five years.

According to Infobae, the complaint was presented to the Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, and sent to other authorities such as the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) and the Presidency of the Republic. Among the evidence submitted are documents that demonstrate the misuse of properties and electrical infrastructure to power servers that operate 24 hours a day.

One of the most emblematic cases occurred on January 31, 2025, at the union headquarters in Necaxa, Puebla. A mega-operation supported by the Army and the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) deactivated the clandestine mining structure. However, the equipment was not seized, and no arrests were made. According to the association, the property operated for more than a year without local authorities taking action.

Another recent episode, the publication describes, involves the headquarters of the SME in El Oro, State of Mexico, where the CFE detected the theft of six million kWh in just two months — enough energy to supply more than 5,000 households, causing a loss of over 16 million pesos.

Illegal operations would also have occurred in other locations such as San Simonito, Juandhó, and Villa Coapa. The FAU accuses union leaders of enriching themselves through illicit activities, covering up crimes with fraudulent electoral processes within the SME.

Despite the seriousness of the accusations, the group denounces the total inaction of judicial and labor authorities, warning of widespread impunity.