This summer marked a significant turn of events for Mawson Infrastructure Group as they swiftly disconnected from their former CEO amid serious allegations. On May 30, the organization issued a notice to CEO Rahul Mewawalla citing “Cause” for termination under the stipulations of his contract.
Shortly after, Mewawalla was put on administrative leave, and by July 8, he had lost his board seat amid a shocking legal action initiated in Delaware’s Court of Chancery.
This lawsuit accuses him of both fraud and a breach of fiduciary duties while leading the publicly traded Bitcoin mining firm.
Promising Growth and Sudden Turmoil
Reports indicated that just prior to his dismissal, Mewawalla enjoyed a substantial compensation package which included a cash bonus of $2.5 million and 1.2 million in restricted stock units.
Additionally, his base salary was reportedly elevated to $1.2 million. During this period, Mawson lauded his leadership qualities, citing impressive growth metrics: a 36% increase in revenue, a gross profit rise of 35%, and reductions in selling, general, and administrative (SG&A) expenses while he led the company.
Yet, these accomplishments are now juxtaposed with severe allegations, raising questions about his governance and impact on shareholders.
#Bitcoin Miner Mawson Fires CEO, Sues for Fraud – What Are the Implications?
This leadership crisis raises alarms regarding governance practices within the #crypto mining industry, where accountability remains a critical issue.$BTC pic.twitter.com/nKmQ1zLw5r
— CryptoSphere (@ImCryptoSphere) July 22, 2025
New Leadership in Uncertain Times
Following Mewawalla’s removal, Kaliste Saloom, the company’s legal counsel, was appointed as the interim CEO. Saloom now faces the significant challenge of navigating the company through what may become a protracted legal confrontation.
The board is reportedly aiming to reclaim damages linked to actions taken by Mewawalla during his tenure. Meanwhile, Mewawalla has staunchly denied any wrongdoing, insisting on his previous commendations from the board regarding his leadership.
Ongoing Challenges Compound Pressure
The situation worsens for Mawson as they find themselves embroiled in another lawsuit. Stone Ridge, which operates the NYDIG platform, has accused Mawson of wrongfully commandeering over 20,000 ASIC miners worth close to $30 million.
The two companies had a colocation agreement that began in December 2023 and was meant to continue until March 2025. However, disputes concerning fees escalated, leading Mawson to issue invoices amounting to $1.9 million for space and power usage.
Stone Ridge contends that there was an agreement to reduce energy consumption in the last month and has challenged those charges. Subsequently, Mawson altered the payout direction for the miners and restricted access to Stone Ridge personnel, citing a contractual clause that the opposing side disputes as inapplicable.
Investors are keenly observing these legal disputes. Should the board manage to substantiate their claims in court, Mawson could recover considerable sums and reinforce the message of heightened accountability in corporate governance.
Image credit from Unsplash, chart courtesy of TradingView
