It’s the kind of twist you’d expect in a crime drama—except this one played out in real life.
A decorated National Crime Agency officer, trusted to bring down cyber criminals, turned out to be hiding a secret of his own.
Instead of just investigating crime, he committed it.
Paul Chowles, a senior investigator with the NCA, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison after stealing bitcoin while leading a high-profile dark web drug case.
The very digital currency he was supposed to recover for justice ended up in his own pocket.
A Crime Hidden in Plain Sight
Back in May 2017, Chowles was working on a major investigation involving Thomas White, the mastermind behind Silk Road 2.0—an illegal online marketplace for drugs and contraband.
Following White’s arrest, Chowles had access to his computers and cryptocurrency accounts.
That’s when Chowles made his move.
Using his deep understanding of digital forensics and crypto laundering techniques, he discreetly transferred 50 bitcoin—worth around £60,000 at the time—into his own hidden accounts.
But as the years passed, that sum skyrocketed.
When he was finally caught, the stash was valued at £4.3 million.
Living Small to Stay Under the Radar
Instead of going on lavish spending sprees, Chowles kept things low-key.
He used the stolen crypto for everyday purchases—groceries at Asda, tools from Screwfix, meals out, and even nursery fees for his kids.
In total, he spent around 20 bitcoin, which amounted to about £110,000.
Authorities believe the rest—30 bitcoin, or roughly £2.6 million at current values—was being saved for retirement.
Prosecutors said Chowles saw it as a personal nest egg, hidden away thanks to the very skills he once used to fight financial crime.
The Lie Unravels
For nearly five years, Chowles got away with it.
Initially, the missing funds were blamed on the drug dealer himself.
But when Thomas White was released from prison, he insisted the bitcoin had been stolen—and he pointed the finger at the only people who had access: the NCA.
Eventually, Merseyside Police launched a fresh investigation.
What they uncovered led them straight to Chowles.
A forensic deep-dive into his devices revealed crypto exchange searches and personal notebooks with login credentials tied to the stolen bitcoin.
A Fall from Grace
At Liverpool Crown Court, Chowles pleaded guilty to theft, transferring criminal property, and concealing it.
Judge David Aubrey KC didn’t hold back during sentencing.
“You were in a position of power and you abused that privilege,” he said.
“The public expects people like you to act with integrity, but instead you wove a web of deceit and guile. You served yourself, not justice.”
Chowles, a 42-year-old divorced father of three, had no previous convictions. But that didn’t save him.
His £33,000-a-year job is gone, and so is his freedom.
A Complicated Web of Crime
Chowles used advanced laundering tools like the bitcoin fog, a digital mixer that scrambles the trail of funds on the blockchain.
Although this service was later shut down by the FBI, this is thought to be the first UK prosecution linked to it.
By breaking the stolen bitcoin into smaller transactions and spreading them across multiple accounts, Chowles thought he had covered his tracks for good.
But even the most sophisticated plans can unravel when greed meets persistence.
Silk Road 2.0 and the Original Crime
The case he was investigating at the time involved Silk Road 2.0, a dark web marketplace created by Thomas White after the original Silk Road was shut down in 2013 by the FBI.
White, operating under the alias “Dread Pirate Roberts,” ran the site from his university flat in Liverpool.
He started out buying sleeping pills for personal use, then moved on to selling MDMA and drug test kits before taking a leading role in the illegal empire.
Chowles was one of the lead detectives who helped bring White to justice.
Ironically, among the bitcoin Chowles stole was some from a wallet labeled “Dread Pirate Roberts Retirement Fund”—which he apparently turned into his own.
A Story of Double Lives and Hidden Motives
Craig Hassall KC, the prosecutor, said Chowles acted in a calculated and secretive way, believing his plan was airtight.
His actions were described as deliberate, repeated, and fueled by the growing value of his hidden treasure.
His defense argued that Chowles was struggling with anxiety, depression, and possibly undiagnosed autism at the time.
His lawyer said Chowles feels deep shame and remorse, and knows he destroyed not just his own life, but affected many others along the way.
Justice From Within
Following the sentencing, officials from both the Crown Prosecution Service and Merseyside Police emphasized that no one is above the law.
Chowles’ betrayal was a blow to the integrity of law enforcement.
“He took advantage of his position to line his own pockets,” said Detective Chief Inspector John Black.
“This case shows that even those within the system can be brought to justice when they cross the line.”