The UK Police Officer is charged with Bitcoin storing over £ 3m

Paul Chowles, Operational Officer with the UK Crime National Agency, is charged with several criminal offenses associated with alleged forwarding of Bitcoin during the investigation at Network Organized Crime in 2017. years.

Crown Prosecution authorized Merseiside Police for CLOVLES CALLING, 42, with 11 points of hidden, covering or converting criminal assets, three points of acquisition, use or possession of criminal assets and one number of theft.

It was set to appear in the Liverpool misdemeanor court 25 April.

In the statement, Malcolm Mchaffie, the head of the CPS special division of crimes, confirmed the accusations and reminded the public of the defendant to a fair trial.

“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, comments or sharing information online that in any way they could prejudice these proceedings,” he said.

The alleged stole dates to 2017. years, when bitcoin (Btc) It is valued about £ 1,200 per coin, which is 50. BTC worth £ 50,000 at the time. However, the price of bitcoin has since since then, and 50 BTCs would now be worth over £ 3m ($ 4.1 million) based on current market rates.

NCA, in charge of combating serious and organized crime in the UK, has not yet issued a statement of the case.

Authorities that stole seized Bitcoin

This case echoes that Australian police officer William Wheatley, who faced court proceedings For allegedly theft 81,616 Bitcoin seized during the investigation of human trafficking in 2019. years.

The prosecutors accused him of theft, managing decent crime and abuse of confidential information. His defense argued that the case relied on mandatory evidence. The charges arose from the Viridian operation, which targeted criminal networks using cryptocurrency for illegal transactions.

The man, who was from Bristol, was accused of criminal offenses in Criminal 2002 and the Law on Steal in 1968. if convicted, he could face significant legal penalties.