How did the police officer end up becoming a thief

[Iroh]

How did the police officer end up becoming a thief? Simple. Cause of greed.
He was the lead crypto analyst, having access to the private keys to the seized wallet and was literally the guy tasked with overseeing the seized coins. With the birth of his new found spending habits later on,  it shouldn't be entirely surprising he was being investigated on the side. Thinking he could hide his digital footprints using mixers and echange services to try and get away with his act was what probably emboldened him.

[xLays]

How did the police officer end up becoming a thief? Simple. Cause of greed.

Yeah but it doesn't end with that..
I mean there are many reasons why a police officer could end up becoming thief because maybe he had money problems, maybe other corrupt officers influenced him or maybe he thought he was untouchable because of his position.

And this is not just happening to police officers, it can happen to anyone.

[KingsDen]

How did the police officer end up becoming a thief? Simple. Cause of greed.
He was the lead crypto analyst, having access to the private keys to the seized wallet and was literally the guy tasked with overseeing the seized coins. With the birth of his new found spending habits later on,  it shouldn't be entirely surprising he was being investigated on the side. Thinking he could hide his digital footprints using mixers and echange services to try and get away with his act was what probably emboldened him.

This is a situation of giving a rat the charge as the CEO of a fish house.
Being the leader of crypto analyst command, he ought to know better. He didn't actually seal his paths well, there's a mistake somewhere. Assuming he did it well, he shouldn't be traced that way.

[PX-Z]

Even after using a mixer, it was still traced? That's impressive, and at the same time, concerning. If the transfers followed a certain pattern despite being mixed several times, and the police managed to track it down through an exchange that had his personal information, then it makes sense how they got him.

As for your question, it often comes down to the gap between a police officer's salary and their lifestyle, hobbies, or personal needs. When those don't align, some end up doing questionable things while on duty, abusing their power. Sadly, there are cases where they act both as protectors of the community and protectors of criminals.

[SatoPrincess]

This is a situation of giving a rat the charge as the CEO of a fish house.
Being the leader of crypto analyst command, he ought to know better. He didn't actually seal his paths well, there's a mistake somewhere. Assuming he did it well, he shouldn't be traced that way.

Wearing a badge and a police uniform doesn’t make a person incorruptible. 50 bitcoins is a lot of money and since he thought that he could get away with it he didn’t hesitate to carry out his plan. I suspect that this is not the first time the police officer had stolen money from evidence room or taken a bribe.

[GreatArkansas]

This is a situation of giving a rat the charge as the CEO of a fish house.
Being the leader of crypto analyst command, he ought to know better. He didn't actually seal his paths well, there's a mistake somewhere. Assuming he did it well, he shouldn't be traced that way.

Wearing a badge and a police uniform doesn’t make a person incorruptible. 50 bitcoins is a lot of money and since he thought that he could get away with it he didn’t hesitate to carry out his plan. I suspect that this is not the first time the police officer had stolen money from evidence room or taken a bribe.

Exactly, I thought only here in our country that has some issues like thi,s like men in uniforms involved in such corruption/stealing.

I'm curious to the police officer, since he only got 5 year imprisonment, does it means he can't go back to work anymore or he still can after he serve the 5 years?

[sunsilk]

A corrupt policeman, that's it. And I think every country has this type of policeman out of the many honorable men that are serving the public.

So leaving some trace and sending it to an exchange could really make their traces left and they don't know that. I guess with this discussion if someone is just lurking around and have done or trying to do something like this.

They'll now have an idea on what to do and what not to do.

I'm curious to the police officer, since he only got 5 year imprisonment, does it means he can't go back to work anymore or he still can after he serve the 5 years?

I think if it's a criminal offense then there is no way that policeman can go back to service.

[Cookdata]

The police officer was reported that he used mixers to split the stolen bitcoin into smaller amounts, transferring the coins through crypto exchanges and prepaid cards to block the trace, but at last he was known.

https://cointelegraph.com/explained/how-a-police-officer-stole-50-btc-from-a-seized-crypto-wallet-and-got-caught

Some people may not know that bitcoin can be traced to someone if the government wants to trace it. This is not the first time such bad actors are known.

This is exactly of don't do as I do but do as a I say. So many enforcement agents are pretty thieves hidden behind their uniform. In the morning to afternoon hours, they are good men on duty but later after work, they went back to do what they are paid to go against. The fact and reality about this is that been decent doesn't make one a better person and this is what the government isn't understanding, at the end of the day we may have more people with good conduct than their own system.

The police thought mixing alone could give him high end privacy but he was so dull to launder money through a recognize platforms and boom he was caught in the act. This alone should let government allow people prioritize thier privacy with mixers instead of banning them. If mixing Bitcoin through mixers can't hide criminals activisies then this is should be a protest to allow people use mixers and not the usual domain seize and arresting the owners.

[Lembo69]

In my country the police is like shit, so if I see a news where the police doing illegal or crime stuff, I'm not surprising either.

You can imagine this, people who apply to become police aren't for to achieve their dream, to catch bad people or want to serve for the government, but their reason are for making money through extortion and immune against laws because they're backed up by their seniors.

I'm glad the police don't have a good knowledge in privacy and also stupid, if my police were him, he will working together with crypto expert, privacy expert and tax expert in order to make it smooth. If one of them want to backstab the police, the police will torture and threaten them, so the police have nothing to worry.

Now in our country, the government has deployed thieves in police uniforms. Because if a thief steals, the police will catch him, but if the police steals, who will catch him? Yes, this is also true, where there are more bad people, there are also good people, but it is doubtful whether they will be found even if they search. Currently, the people want to be safe from the police. Where the police were deployed for the safety of the people. The government of the country deploys such police to rob the people. Because the Kiptbazar government does not like it, no taxes are paid from here. The government takes money from the bank, syndicates from the people everywhere. And the source of this syndicate is the police. Now even hearing the name of the police makes me laugh.

[KingsDen]

This is a situation of giving a rat the charge as the CEO of a fish house.
Being the leader of crypto analyst command, he ought to know better. He didn't actually seal his paths well, there's a mistake somewhere. Assuming he did it well, he shouldn't be traced that way.

Wearing a badge and a police uniform doesn’t make a person incorruptible. 50 bitcoins is a lot of money and since he thought that he could get away with it he didn’t hesitate to carry out his plan. I suspect that this is not the first time the police officer had stolen money from evidence room or taken a bribe.

I agree with you, that's not his first time of doing it. 50 BTC is worth much and he would have known that eyes will be on him due to the amount involved. But when greed speaks, the ear becomes deaf.
5 years is not much time of a jail though.

[tread93]

The police officer was reported that he used mixers to split the stolen bitcoin into smaller amounts, transferring the coins through crypto exchanges and prepaid cards to block the trace, but at last he was known.

https://cointelegraph.com/explained/how-a-police-officer-stole-50-btc-from-a-seized-crypto-wallet-and-got-caught

Some people may not know that bitcoin can be traced to someone if the government wants to trace it. This is not the first time such bad actors are known.

What is more surprising in this news is not that the government was able to trace these transactions even after the police officer's efforts to eliminate the trace (I suppose that he made a mistake at some point) but the fact that the delinquent was a policeman. I want to believe that most police officers carry out their obligations with due diligence and, although we all know of cases in which the behavior of some departs far from what would be desirable, it is the exception and not the norm.

But, apart from the surprising figure of the protagonist in this story, this should serve as a "notice to mariners" who might be considering using Bitcoin to cover up their shady activities.

A lot of people in power when given the opportunity will abuse their power and use it to their own advantage for personal gain. This happens sooooo much everywhere, especially in the democratic party in the US lmfao. Its honestly pretty wild. You would think that there would be more integrity at this level but the truth is that we are all human and all of the time humans give into the greed.

[Accardo]

A lot of people in power when given the opportunity will abuse their power and use it to their own advantage for personal gain. This happens sooooo much everywhere, especially in the democratic party in the US lmfao. Its honestly pretty wild. You would think that there would be more integrity at this level but the truth is that we are all human and all of the time humans give into the greed.

Silk road associated seized funds carries a weight of transferable curruptible approach, even the government's eye is on it, that was why it was easier to trace the cop. He did use mixers which was secure and after a while the team from their conscious mind knew who carried out the transaction, since it wasn't traced. He got 5 years to serve and that's the best he could get, and then the money should also be recovered from him, for betraying his office and oath to the society he serves. .

[adaseb]

Isnt this what happened with MtGox? Wasnt there some FBI agent that also stole some BTC and he also got caught? Seems to be a repeating trend.

I am actually surprised that this Police Office tried to mix the funds and did his best to not get caught but still made a mistake. Goes to show you that there are many bad cops out there. The salary is small and job is dangerous so some police do these things. And yes its more common with fiat and fiat is not traceable unlike bitcoin.

With bitcoin and crypto increasing in value and popularity these are going to be more and more common. Many will choose bitcoin because you can send it anonymously and you can keep it in self custody and itll make it easier for it to leave the country, unless other assets such as cash or gold.

[Plaguedeath]

As many government said Bitcoin is an anonymous currency and used for crime, as we can see Bitcoin isn't anonymous and the criminals can get caught.

The salary is small and job is dangerous so some police do these things. And yes its more common with fiat and fiat is not traceable unlike bitcoin.

From the beginning, if people know the reward and risk aren't worth to take, they should avoid to apply for police. Some people who interested to become police need to know if they get paid low, instead of complain it. In the end it's about supply and demand, if most people avoid to become police, the government will raise the salary and give more benefit to make people interested.

[shield132]

What is more surprising in this news is not that the government was able to trace these transactions even after the police officer's efforts to eliminate the trace (I suppose that he made a mistake at some point) but the fact that the delinquent was a policeman. I want to believe that most police officers carry out their obligations with due diligence and, although we all know of cases in which the behavior of some departs far from what would be desirable, it is the exception and not the norm.

But, apart from the surprising figure of the protagonist in this story, this should serve as a "notice to mariners" who might be considering using Bitcoin to cover up their shady activities.

I can't tell what happens in other countries that have a reputation of law being protected but such a bad type of people have become policemen in my country that I laugh when I see them. The guy wanted to be a thief, he was smoking weed and doing lots of prohibited things and a few years later, I see him as a policeman. I don't know him personally but it's what I've heard about him and I've personally seen him with this type of people, so I'm sure he is not a good policeman. I've also seen myself how two policeman were saying that they are gonna smoke weed tonight and etc while these are the people that arrest those who smoke weed fr 8-20 years or forever. Everything is corrupted everywhere, that's my conclusion.

[shinratensei_]

Some people may not know that bitcoin can be traced to someone if the government wants to trace it. This is not the first time such bad actors are known.

Police catch thieves but the Police can also be the thief and get caught too.
Government can literally find anything and anyone on the planet if they wish to. I do not support crime or breaking the law in any way and that it why if you get caught you have to do the time. Those who are doing the bad stuff with bitcoin now and are not caught will think that they are smart but eventually, nemesis will always catch up with them. And they will pay for it.

Considering that the bitcoin blockchain is immutable and all the records lives there forever. It's definitely true.
It's why using bitcoin for crime is just plain dumb, also the reason why government banning bitcoin to prevent crime is the lamest excuse you'd find like ever. It's just not true at all and bitcoin is transparent that corrupted people will avoid using it.

[Rruchi man]

What is more surprising in this news is not that the government was able to trace these transactions even after the police officer's efforts to eliminate the trace (I suppose that he made a mistake at some point) but the fact that the delinquent was a policeman.

The name "policeman" is a job description or title that most times does not automatically eliminate bad habits or behaviors that one may have. Being in the police will not change an individual who has a corrupt behavior or habit; sometimes it will only put them more in a position to oppress others whom they know are vulnerable.

... it is the exception and not the norm.

A concern should be it not becoming the norm because the more the corrupt police officers get away with acts like this, the higher the chances of other good ones changing.

[Floxynice]

In my country the police is like shit, so if I see a news where the police doing illegal or crime stuff, I'm not surprising either.

You can imagine this, people who apply to become police aren't for to achieve their dream, to catch bad people or want to serve for the government, but their reason are for making money through extortion and immune against laws because they're backed up by their seniors.

I'm glad the police don't have a good knowledge in privacy and also stupid, if my police were him, he will working together with crypto expert, privacy expert and tax expert in order to make it smooth. If one of them want to backstab the police, the police will torture and threaten them, so the police have nothing to worry.

I am not surprised either. They take lots of bribes in fiat, while should I be surprised when they do same with bitcoin? I am sure the police officer that was caught is not the only one in this, there are several others, including top government officials who are effortlessly going against the laws they enacted. We won't know until they are caught.

[Ojima-ojo]

Fosic analysis tools are so advanced this days that nothing can be hidined if truly authorities want to get the information, there is a similar case in my region where some scammers made away with huge amount of Ethereum.

Surprisingly it didn't take long before the law enforcement agent's get track on them and got almost all the stolen coins back to the authority waiting for distribution to the victims.

[Zigabel]

The police officer was reported that he used mixers to split the stolen bitcoin into smaller amounts, transferring the coins through crypto exchanges and prepaid cards to block the trace, but at last he was known.

https://cointelegraph.com/explained/how-a-police-officer-stole-50-btc-from-a-seized-crypto-wallet-and-got-caught

Some people may not know that bitcoin can be traced to someone if the government wants to trace it. This is not the first time such bad actors are known.

Most persons had continually have that notion that Bitcoin transactions are completely untraceable to the point where they finally spend it, but little  do they know  that this transactions can be followed up till they get tracked but mixers at a time did looked like they were going to come in the way of such tracking and tracing but I honestly do not know if they really do enough to not gwt any track able trace of the coin but if such coin is rather snet to an exchange that requires KYC , the chances continually remains high to trace the source and known the senders of the bitcoin.

With the government, there are some many possibilities that we may not be aware of which we not been aware of such is a security measure and that is why they are known only by the government and a few others so the tracing of Bitcoin and all of that is what the government can achieve, they have what it take and all the tools they .aye be needing  to carry that out actually.