As the font officer stole 50 BTC from a six -pound crypt of wallet and grabbed

How did the police officer become a thief?

In a great violation of confidence in the Great Britain, Paul Chowles, a national officer of the crime agency (NCA), stole 50 bitcoins (BTC) from a six -winged wallet attached to Thomas White, operator Silk Road 2.0.

Theft occurred in 2017, when the cryptocurrency was awarded a total of approximately £ 60,000 (approximately $ 79,000). Before Chowles was caught, the crypt value rose to more than £ 4.4 million (approximately $ 5.9 million). A 42-year-old Bristol officer used Dark Web and Crypto-Mixing Services to divide the stolen bitcoin into smaller AMENTS, converting through cryptocurrency and prepaid cards to cover his source.

Initially, suspects White investigators had an exclusive regadede access to its funds, while in custody but detailed blockchain analysis to dream Chowles as a culprit. His arrests, beliefs and five and a half years show that Blockchain’s traceability can also be exposed to insiders, as evidenced that no one is above the law.

Background: Silk Road 2.0, Thomas White and NCA

In 2013, the Federal US investigation office concluded an illegal online market known as Silk Road, which facilitated the trade in illegal drugs and goods on the dark website. Shortly afterwards, Silk Road 2.0 was launched by the British national national Thomas White and quickly gained popularity.

This website was also dismantled in 2014 through cooperation between the British authorities and the FBI. During the investigation, the authorities confiscated 97 BTC of white. These funds were placed in the “Wallet Download” and intended for seizures as part of his punishment.

Paul Chowles, a 42 -year -old Bristol officer, served as the main crypto analyst for the NCA and was responsible for the extraction and control of White Cryptocurrency. The expertise of Chowles was necessary for monitoring, securing and documenting these digital assets to enforce the right.

Chowles’s role in White’s investigation gave him access and the opportunity to commit one of the most important internal theft of NCA.

Did you know that? In 2021, US authorities confiscated more than 94,000 BTCs associated with Hack Bitfinex 2016 at that time worth more than $ 3.6 billion at the time. It meant one of the most important financial seizures in the US history.

How did Chowles commit the theft of crypto?

From the 6th and 7th and 7th May 2017 Chowles committed theft that Wow eventually made him break out of his work and took him to prison.

As the main crypto analyst in Thomas White, Chowles used his privileged approach to a 50 BTC secret transfer, worth approximately £ 60,000, from White’s sixth “withdrawal”. To hide the source of stolen funds, it divided Bitcoin into smaller amenty and converted them through bitcoin fog, a cryptoming service designed to cover transaction trails.

Initially, suspicious White investigators, a qualified hacker, could approach its confiscated assets from prison. For years, theft has been left unresolved, and by the end of 2021, the NCA considered the non -favorable 50 BTC. Chowles’s carefully planned Appased Appared Appered until the blockchain analysis later revealed its fraud and busht its actions to light.

After stolen from White’s confiscated wallets, Chowles worked quietly to convert cryptocurrencies into cash. As bitcoins value between August 2021 and May 2022 appeared, began to replace parts of the platform for cryptopacit for funds like Cryptopay and Wirex.

These services allowed Chowles to convert BTC to the British Libra, which he accepted through linked debit cards. During this period, Chowles performed 279 transactions and spent approximately £ 23,000 between August 26, 2021, and on May 20, 2022 between August 30, 2021 and 22 February 2022, Chowles converted and made five selections in the total amount of £ 6.232.

According to Crown (CPS) CHOWles service between August 27, 2021 and 14. CPS estimated its profits at 613 147.29 pounds (worth 824 634.05 USD 25 July 2025).

Chowles’s use of the main financial platforms in combination with its careful efforts on masking transactions reflects his belief that he can avoid detection. However, the volume and formula of its expenditure provided key evidence that allowed investigators to trace the stolen funds.

Did you know that? Governments generally confiscated bitcoins. Since 2014, the US Marshal Service has been selling BTC, with some lands spent by early crypto adoptors such as Tim Draper, and transforming recovery of government assets into a unoxrided opportunity for investors.

Investigations and Divorce of the Chowles Scheme

At the beginning of 2022, after his release, White reported the authorities that only an initiator of the NCA, who proceeded to the private keys to his gray bitcoin wallet and promoted the police investigation of Merseyside for Chowles.

Investigators confiscated Chowles telephone and laptops, revealed login data, browser history and wallet details that directly linked it to theft of 50 BTC in 2017. By analyzing the classroom, the authorities traced through Bitcoin fog, cryptoming service, and despite the concern.

His scheme revealed a combination of digital forensic and blockchain analysis. Chowles Meticulus tries to avoid the decaying detection. After almost three years of court proceedings, Chowles confessed to theft in March 2025, transferred criminal property and hid criminal property. He emphasized the serious negotiations on the problem of dedicated incorrect conduct in the enforcement of law, given his role as a trusted crypto analyst NCA.

In July 2025, Liverpool Crown Court Court will condemn 42 years in prison for five and a half years. 11th July 2025 was dissolved by the NCA Chowles for gross misconduct. The convict served as a punishment and reminder that even those who are responsible for the law are facing its complete consequences when they betray the public confidence.

Alex Johnson, a specialized prosecutor with the CPS, said that Chowles “used his position that he worked on this investigation, by lining his own pockets, and at the same time invented a plan that Belied would never fall.”

Detective Main Inspector John Black, who investigated Chowles using the NCA, said, “For everyone, for someone to participate in the coercive bodies, it will be very disappointing that he can engage in the crime himself to investigate and overtake.

Reviving the consequences and assets from the Chowles

After Chowles convicted, the authorities tried to restore the stolen cryptocurrency. They confiscated almost £ 470,000 from Chowles’s accounts and assets, which corresponds to 30 BTC at current values.

CPS has launched confiscation procedures to obtain any remaining illegal profits for the state. The NCA also added connected to the Silk Road 2.0 Thomas White operator. Of the 97 BTC originally confiscated from the white, 47 BTC remained in custody and was sold by the NCA in accordance with the court order and generated approximately £ 1 million.

These enforcement show the growing ability of the state to monitor, entertain and convert digital assets to funds, even if laundry or tied to complex criminal systems, which contributes that neither criminals nor corrupt consecutors can escape their actions.

Did you know that? Crypts often include cross -border teamwork. Like Europol, Interpol and FBI, blockchain intelligence shares the intelligence to get illegal funds. This joint effort has led to a coordinated stop stop of the duration of dark markets, such as Hydra, where the hung millions in the crypto were frozen and seized.

Key lessons from Chowles’s theft of crypts

The case of Paul Chowles serves as a reminder that even initiations of enforcement of law may be tempted by abuse of assets that are entrusted to protect. However, it also emphasizes how transparency and advanced blockchain examination tools can detect hidden crimes, even years after them.

Here are key lessons from the CHOWLES Case and its wider consequences:

• Blockchain’s follow -up: Despite the efforts of Chowles to cover the theft using Bitcoin fog, the stolen funds followed almost five years later, demonstrating the effect of blockchain analysis.
• Discover Risks: Chowles’ approach to private keys and forensic tools reveals how trusted officers can become a risk, leading to strict internal warranty requirements.
• The legal and regulatory impacts: The case emphasizes the need for improved protocols to process the cryptocurrency data, resulting in increased seizure and recovery processes and increased supervision in the framework of law enforcement.