Former UK National Crime Agency official sentenced to five and a half years in prison for stealing $5.9 million worth of Bitcoin

According to The Block, Paul Chowles, a former official of the UK's National Crime Agency, has been sentenced to five and a half years in prison for stealing and seizing 50 bitcoins (now worth $5.9 million). The official used his position to steal the involved Bitcoin in 2017 and cashed out through a coin mixing service. In 2022, he was arrested by the police with the assistance of blockchain analysis company Chainalysis. In 2024, the UK has passed a new bill authorizing law enforcement agencies to freeze cryptocurrency assets without the need for arrest.