Bitcoin Officer is jailed for stealing from drug dealer

A BRISTOL National Crime Agency officer stole Bitcoin worth more than £4 million from a criminal who ran a dark web black market for drugs.

- Adam EVERETT

Dad-of-three Paul Chowles was part of the team which brought internet dealer Thomas White down. But before police arrested him White, Chowles seized the opportunity to steal 50 Bitcoin from his mark.

This stolen cryptocurrency was worth about £60,000 at the time of the theft, but its value has since ballooned to more than £4m.

The former intelligence analyst and unit manager was said to have believed he had "gotten away with" his crimes for years, quietly spending his ill-gotten gains on day-to-day expenses rather than expensive cars or exotic holidays. His brazen scheme was ultimately only revealed when White was released from prison and pointed out the missing coins to police, with the officer having now been put behind bars himself.