#Robos United Kingdom authorized charges against an NCA official for alleged Bitcoin theft
Authorities in the United Kingdom alleged that an agent of the National Crime Agency stole 50 bitcoins in 2017 during an investigation.
The agency responsible for carrying out criminal prosecutions in England and Wales announced that an officer of the National Crime Agency (NCA) was to be charged with the alleged theft of Bitcoin valued at approximately $75,000 in 2017.
In a notice dated March 14, the Crown Prosecution Service said it had authorized Merseyside Police to charge NCA officer Paul Chowles with 15 offenses related to the alleged theft of Bitcoin
BTC
€77,443
“during an investigation into online organized crime.” Authorities indicated that Chowles could face a charge of theft, 11 charges of concealing, disguising, or converting criminal property, and three charges of acquiring, using, or possessing criminal property.
The 50 Bitcoin, valued at approximately $75,000 before the bull run of December 2017, were worth over $4.2 million at the time of publication, with a BTC price of $84,541. The NCA officer is expected to appear before Liverpool Magistrates' Court on April 25.
In April 2024, amendments to the UK's Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act authorized NCA officers and local police to confiscate crypto assets from alleged criminals without the need to arrest them. The Crown Prosecution Service did not mention how Chowles allegedly stole the Bitcoin or whether the funds were connected to illicit activities.