Corrupt NCA detective ordered to repay £1.8million Bitcoin stolen from dark web drug dealer

Corrupt NCA detective ordered to repay £1.8million Bitcoin stolen from dark web drug dealer Paul Chowles, 44, was jailed for five-and-a-half years for taking the crypto from Thomas White who operated the infamous Silk Road under the alias 'Dread Pirate Roberts' A corrupt National Crime Agency detective jailed for stealing a drug dealer's Bitcoin has been ordered to repay more than £1.8million. Paul Chowles, 44, was jailed for five-and-a-half years for taking the money from a drug dealer who was under investigation in 2017. Thomas White, who operated a dark web marketplace known as 'Silk Road 2.0' from his Liverpool home, alerted police to Chowles after telling investigators he had been robbed. White operated online under the alias, "Dread Pirate Roberts", a reference to the 1987 fantasy film The Princess Bride. Chowles's theft went undetected for five years as he used his expertise in cybercrime to try to conceal his ill-gotten gains. He stole and hid 50 Bitcoin that at the time was valued at approximately £60,000. However, due to the significant increase in the value of the cryptocurrency, the Crown Prosecution Service was able to secure a confiscation order against Chowles on Thursday for £1,810,678.93, which included the total value of the recovered 30 Bitcoin. As part of the team working on the case, Chowles took part in the analysis and extraction of cryptocurrency from digital devices seized during the investigation. He later transferred the Bitcoin from a confiscated wallet and attempted to disguise the trail of the assets through a series of cryptocurrency transactions. Chowles, of Bristol, was arrested in May 2022 and his devices were seized. His iPhone linked to an account he had used to transfer the bitcoin. Several notebooks were discovered in his office which contained usernames, passwords, and statements relating to White's cryptocurrency accounts. Luke Clements, of the CPS Proceeds of Crime Division, said: “Paul Chowles exploited a position of trust for personal gain, stealing assets that had already been recovered through law enforcement action. Confiscation Orders are a powerful tool in ensuring that crime does not pay. Today's Order sends a clear message that we will pursue offenders' assets relentlessly and seek to recover criminal proceeds wherever they are hidden. The CPS Proceeds of Crime Division will continue to work closely with law enforcement partners to identify criminal benefit and take robust action to strip offenders of the profits of their crimes.”