Ex-NCA officer ordered to repay more than £1.8m following Bitcoin theft
A former National Crime Agency (NCA) officer has been ordered to repay more than £1.8million after stealing valuable cryptocurrency that had been seized as part of an investigation into online crime on the dark web.
Paul Chowles, 44, was jailed for five years and six months at Liverpool Crown Court in 2025 after pleading guilty to theft and money laundering.
He stole and hid 50 Bitcoin that was seized during an investigation into a dark web marketplace used by organised criminal networks for selling illegal goods. A total of 30 Bitcoin was subsequently recovered from Chowles.
At the time of the theft, 50 Bitcoin was valued at approximately £60,000. However, due to the significant increase in the value of Bitcoin, the Crown Prosecution Service was able to secure a confiscation order against Chowles today in the sum of £1,810,678.93, which included the total value of the recovered 30 Bitcoin.
The Bitcoin had been recovered following an investigation into the dark web marketplace Silk Road 2.0. 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 50 Bitcoin from a confiscated wallet and attempted to disguise the trail of the assets through a series of cryptocurrency transactions.
Financial investigators traced the criminal benefit obtained through Chowles' offending and supported confiscation proceedings to ensure he could not continue to profit from his crimes.
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."
Notes to editors
- Luke Clements is a Specialist Prosecutor in the CPS Proceeds of Crime Division.
- Paul Chowles, [DOB: 30/08/1982], of Bristol, was convicted of theft, transferring criminal property and concealing criminal property following an investigation by Merseyside Police.
- He was sentenced to five years and six months' imprisonment at Liverpool Crown Court in July 2025.
- The confiscation proceedings were brought under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
- A Compensation Order has been made for the victim in this case, with the funds being paid towards their outstanding Confiscation Order.
- Paul Chowles was dismissed from the NCA on 11 July 2025.
- The CPS Proceeds of Crime Division has in the last five years recovered over £530 million from Confiscation Orders, ensuring that thousands of convicted criminals cannot profit from their offending. Over £102 million of that amount has been returned to victims of crime by way of compensation.