Ex-NCA Officer Faces $2.38M Repayment Order Over 50 Stolen Bitcoin

Paul Chowles, a former National Crime Agency (NCA) officer, has received an order to repay over $2.38 million following the theft of over 50 BTC.

The announcement disclosed that the crypto asset was discovered following the launch of an investigation into the dark web marketplace Silk Road 2.0, usually used by organized criminal networks to sell and move illicit products.

Former Officer Chowles Hid 50 BTC

During the time, the 44-year-old Chowles was part of the team working on the case. He helped in the analysis and extraction of the asset from digital devices seized in the investigation.

Following the latest report, the former officer stole and hid about 50 BTC, valued at $79,740 at the time. However, the value of the crypto asset has remarkably increased. As such, the Crown Prosecution Service secured a confiscation order. Subsequently, a total of 30 BTC was recovered from Chowles.

Meanwhile, the apex crypto asset is currently trading at over $84,000, per CoinGecko data. This represents a 1.18% increase in the last 24 hours.

In an attempt to avoid detection, he executed a transfer of roughly 50 BTC from a confiscated wallet. According to Luke Clements of the CPS Proceeds of Crime Division, Chowles took advantage of his position for personal gain, noting he stole digital assets that had already been recovered via law enforcement action.

Clements added that confiscation orders are a powerful tool to ensure crime does not pay. He noted that the agency will pursue offenders’ assets tirelessly and seek to recover criminal proceeds regardless of where they are hidden.

Ex-Officer Pleaded Guilty to Theft

The confiscation proceedings were brought under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. To ensure Chowles’ discontinuation of profiting from his crimes, financial investigators tracked the criminal benefits obtained through his offending and initiated confiscation proceedings.

While this is not the first, the recent action shows a lack of tolerance towards crime, especially by an officer. The rates of crypto crime have significantly increased over time as prices surge.

For his crime, the 44-year-old was jailed for five years and six months. The sentence was passed at Liverpool Crown Court in 2025 after pleading guilty to theft and money laundering.