The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) of Australia has leveled accusations against a federal police officer, alleging the theft of Bitcoin (BTC) from a hardware wallet seized during a drug raid.
The alleged BTC haul, currently valued at over $4 million, was discovered within a Trezor hardware wallet found during a drug raid operation. Alongside the wallet was a device containing the seed phrase, crucial for wallet recovery in case of loss or theft.
Despite obtaining court approval for wallet access after approximately three weeks, investigators found no trace of the Bitcoins inside. Detective Sergeant William Wheatley stands accused of relocating the BTC shortly after the raid.
The investigation led authorities to the crypto exchange Binance, where the cybercrime unit identified an IP address linked to the stolen coins, traced back to the former AFP headquarters.
Initially, suspicions pointed towards an associate of the crime syndicate as the prime suspect. However, analysis of IP addresses associated with the stolen BTC prompted the NACC to redirect its focus towards Wheatley.
Wheatley refutes allegations of exploiting his public position for personal gain or involvement in criminal proceeds. He is poised to contest accusations related to the missing Bitcoins from the Trezor wallet.
At the time of the theft, the pilfered BTC amounted to approximately $309,000. However, the value has surged to an estimated $4.2 million since the incident.
