Ex-NCA Officer Jailed for Stealing 50 BTC From Dark Web Criminal

A former National Crime Agency (NCA) officer has been sentenced to five years and six months in prison after stealing 50 BTC—now worth over £4.4 million—from a criminal investigation he was helping to lead.

The conviction follows a detailed investigation by Merseyside Police, with full cooperation from the NCA.

Paul Chowles, 42, from Bristol, admitted to stealing the cryptocurrency in 2017 while working on a joint NCA-FBI operation targeting dark web marketplaces. The stolen Bitcoin, which was then valued at around £60,000, had been seized as part of the prosecution of Liverpool resident Thomas White, a key figure in the case who was jailed in 2019.

Abuse of position to divert seized Bitcoin

In his role as a digital forensics officer, Chowles was responsible for extracting data and cryptocurrency from devices confiscated from White. Between May 6 and 7, 2017, he secretly transferred 50 of the 97 seized Bitcoin into his own control, fragmenting them across smaller wallets in an attempt to conceal the theft. Over the following years, he converted some of the funds into sterling and spent the proceeds using debit cards, with over 279 transactions totaling £23,309, and £6,232 withdrawn in cash.

The total estimated benefit of Chowles’s criminal conduct is calculated at £613,147.29.

Chowles pleaded guilty at Liverpool Crown Court in May to theft, transferring criminal property, and concealing criminal property. He was sentenced on July 16 at the same court.

Caught by his own investigation

The theft came to light when Thomas White, upon release from prison and under police management, noted that 50 Bitcoin had disappeared from his wallet and suggested only the NCA could be responsible. When Merseyside Police officers met with NCA officials to review White’s case, they were informed of the missing funds and launched an internal probe.

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Chowles was arrested in May 2022. A forensic review of his iPhone and office revealed cryptocurrency exchange search histories, account access details, and physical notebooks containing private keys and wallet information tied to the stolen assets.

Public trust and institutional failure

Detective Chief Inspector John Black of Merseyside Police condemned Chowles’s conduct, saying:

“It will be extremely disappointing to everyone that someone involved in law enforcement could involve themselves in the very criminality they are tasked with investigating and preventing.”

The NCA emphasized its zero-tolerance stance on corruption, stating Chowles had been dismissed for gross misconduct and that the agency fully supported the investigation.

Alex Johnson of the Crown Prosecution Service added:

“He took advantage of his position… by lining his own pockets while devising a plan he believed would ensure suspicion never fell on him.”
Both the NCA and CPS reaffirmed their commitment to holding those in power accountable, especially when public trust is at stake.

Kosta Gushterov

Kosta has been working in the crypto industry for over 4 years. He strives to present different perspectives on a given topic and enjoys the sector for its transparency and dynamism. In his work, he focuses on balanced coverage of events and developments in the crypto space, providing information to his readers from a neutral perspective.