Mexico’s Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) often faces criticism from householders and businesses for excessive billing, but in some cases, the utility can claim to be the aggrieved party.
In 2024, the CFE reported detecting 1.12 million instances of electricity theft through “diablitos”—the term used for illegal connections to the electricity grid. Additionally, the CFE uncovered at least another million cases of individuals attempting to tamper with electricity meters to defraud the government utility.
Together, these two types of fraud lead to an estimated monthly loss of around 30 million pesos (US$1.47 million), the CFE says.
Under Mexico’s Federal Penal Code, installing a “diablito” can result in a prison sentences of three to ten years. However, actual incarceration for this offense is rare, especially for private individuals. Instead, those caught typically face fines of up to 100,000 pesos and/or a suspension of their electricity supply.
The CFE reports that the most common offenders among businesses are laundromats, parking lots, restaurants and small grocery stores.
While the CFE acknowledges that most thefts occur in economically disadvantaged areas, it’s not exclusive to those regions.
Many of these thefts involve makeshift wiring or illegal connections to public utility lines, posing serious safety risks such as electrocution or fires. Experts also warn that such wiring, combined with fluctuations in the power supply, can damage household appliances.
According to a recent report in Sol de México, some “professional diablito installers” advertise their services on Facebook, promising to reduce electricity bills by up to 70 percent.
The term “diablitos” likely derives from the notion that these illegal connections are sneaky or underhanded, similar to the mischievous nature of a “devil.”