A UK court has ordered former NCA officer Paul Chowles to repay approximately $2.4 million for stealing Bitcoin during a dark web investigation.
Former NCA Officer Faces Financial Repercussions for Bitcoin Theft
A UK court has ordered Paul Chowles, a former officer of the National Crime Agency (NCA), to repay £1,810,678.93, roughly equivalent to $2.4 million, after he was found guilty of stealing 50 Bitcoin from a confiscated wallet during a dark web investigation. The Bitcoin was valued at about £60,000, or $77,000, at the time of the theft in 2017.
The confiscation order was issued by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. Chowles, aged 44 and from Bristol, was implicated in the investigation of Silk Road 2.0, a dark web marketplace established after the original Silk Road was shut down in 2013.
Of the stolen Bitcoin, 30 BTC have been recovered. The repayment amount reflects the current value of the cryptocurrency, which has significantly increased since the time of the theft. The CPS clarified that the difference between the stolen amount and the repayment reflects Bitcoin's rising market value.
Chowles misappropriated the Bitcoin over two days in May 2017, using a mixing service to obscure the trail and conducting 279 transactions to withdraw funds through various debit cards, accumulating approximately £144,580. For years, the blame for the missing Bitcoin was unjustly directed at Thomas White, the owner of the wallet, until Chowles' residence was searched in 2022, leading to the discovery of devices with private keys related to the stolen Bitcoin.
In July 2025, Chowles was sentenced to five years and six months in prison after pleading guilty to theft and related charges. His employment with the NCA was terminated shortly after the sentencing. CPS prosecutor Luke Clements stated, "Chowles exploited a position of trust for personal gain," highlighting the agency's determination to recover assets stolen from law enforcement actions.
A compensation order has also been issued for the victim involved in this case. The CPS division has successfully recovered over £530 million through confiscation orders in the past five years, returning more than £102 million to victims of crime.
