🇮🇴British court issued a verdict in the case of Bitcoin theft from the creator of Silk Road
In 2014, NCA operative Chouls stole 50 out of 97 bitcoins that were confiscated from Blake White, the founder of the darknet marketplace Silk Road 2.0. At that time, their value was $79,000.
Silk Road 2.0 was launched shortly after the FBI shut down the original Silk Road in 2013, but by the end of 2014, the platform was dismantled and White was arrested.
In May 2017, 50 BTC were transferred from White's wallet. The NCA suspected him, but White claimed that the keys were with law enforcement. Later, police and Chainalysis proved Chouls' guilt.
To cover his tracks, Chouls used crypto mixers, including Bitcoin Fog, converted BTC to cash through exchanges and crypto debit cards.
In May 2025, Chouls pleaded guilty to theft and money laundering. The stolen bitcoins are now worth about $5.9 million.
