Jack Finney, a 28-year-old man from England, has been ordered to repay £23,000 ($29,700) after being convicted of selling a dangerous substance marketed as a weight loss drug.
The amount includes Monero cryptocurrency, which was sold off by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) for £15,000 ($19,400). This case marks the first time Monero, a privacy-focused cryptocurrency that is difficult to trace, has been converted by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in a legal case.
Finney’s conviction came as a result of Operation Atlas, a Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 investigation. He was found guilty of supplying DNP (2,4-Dinitrophenol), a highly toxic industrial chemical, as well as other controlled drugs like steroids and prescription-only medicines.
DNP is especially dangerous and has been linked to at least 33 deaths in the UK, prompting the Home Office to classify it as a poison in October 2023. Finney was sentenced to 28 months in jail in December 2021 after pleading guilty to these offenses at Chester Crown Court.
The FSA’s National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) collaborated with the CPS to bring Finney back to court under the Proceeds of Crime Act, ensuring he repaid the money he earned from his illegal activities.
Andrew Quinn, head of the NFCU, expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision, emphasizing the importance of deterring others from profiting through illegal sales of dangerous substances.
The NFCU maintains strong partnerships with various law enforcement agencies to pursue and prosecute those who endanger public health and safety.
Although the court determined that Finney’s total earnings from his crimes exceeded £180,000 ($232,000), he was only ordered to repay £23,000, the amount available at the time.
The CPS Proceeds of Crime Division can seek the remaining amount if Finney acquires more money in the future. Failure to pay the ordered amount would result in an additional eight months being added to his prison sentence.
Adrian Foster, the chief crown prosecutor of the CPS, highlighted the significance of this case in showing that criminals cannot hide behind cryptocurrencies to evade justice.
This successful conversion of Monero to cash underscores the authorities’ capability to trace and confiscate criminal proceeds, regardless of the currency used. Detective Sergeant David MacFarlane from Cheshire Police’s Cyber Crime Unit reinforced that this case should deter others from engaging in similar illegal activities, underscoring the message that crime does not pay.
