Ex-NCA Officer Jailed for Stealing 50 Bitcoin from Silk Road 2.0 Case

A former officer of the UK's National Crime Agency has been sentenced to five and a half years in prison for stealing 50 Bitcoin, currently valued at approximately $5.9 million. Paul Chowles, a former operational officer, pleaded guilty in May to charges of theft, transferring criminal property, and concealing criminal property.

The case is linked to the investigation of the illegal platform Silk Road 2.0, the successor to the well-known Silk Road marketplace, which was dismantled by the FBI in 2013. The stolen Bitcoin had been confiscated from Thomas White, co-founder of Silk Road 2.0, and was under the custody of British authorities.

According to the Crown Prosecution Service, the offenses were discovered following internal checks. Paul Chowles used the cryptocurrencies for personal purchases and transfers to accounts he controlled. Silk Road 2.0 operated for around one year before being shut down by the FBI in 2014.