British NCA officials filed a charge of Bitcoin theft in 2017

An officer of the UK’s National Crime Bureau was charged with theft of 50 Bitcoin in 2017 and is worth $77,000 afterwards.

Paul Chawls, 42, of Bristol, is charged with a 15-count criminal offence in connection with theft, accused of committing while working as the NCA’s operations director.

The alleged theft took place during an ongoing investigation into organized online crime, according to Merseyside police, which is under investigation.

At the time, in 2017, a 50 btc distance was worth around $77,000 (£60,000), but today’s measurements mean it was close to $4 million.

In a statement, Malcolm Machafee, director of the Crown Prosecutor’s Office’s Special Crimes Division, said: “Chawls, 42, will be charged with 11 crimes of concealment, disguised or converted to criminal property, three crimes of acquisition, use or possession of criminal property, and one theft.”

Chawls is scheduled to appear at Liverpool Magistrates Court on April 25, 2025.

“The Crown Prosecutor’s Office reminds us that a criminal case against this defendant is currently active and that he has the right to justice,” Mchaffie said.

“It is very important that there is no reporting, commentary or online sharing of online information that could harm these procedures.”

What is the NCA?

The National Crime Agency is the UK’s leading agency that opposes serious, organized crime, focusing on cyber and economic crime both domestically and internationally.

In 2024, the NCA was given new authority to “seize, freeze, and destroy” the cryptocurrencies used by criminals, allowing them to take encryption from suspects without the need for arrest.