A former UK National Crime Agency (NCA) officer, Paul Chowles, has been ordered to repay £1,810,678.93 (approximately $2.4 million) for stealing 50 Bitcoin in 2017. The Bitcoin was valued at roughly £60,000 (around $77,000) at the time of the theft, meaning the repayment is more than 30 times the original value due to Bitcoin's appreciation.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) secured the confiscation order against Chowles on Wednesday under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. Chowles, who was part of the NCA team investigating the dark web marketplace Silk Road 2.0, had moved the 50 BTC from a confiscated wallet and attempted to obscure its destination. He was jailed for five years and six months in July 2025 after pleading guilty to theft and related charges.