Ex-FBI agent Patrick Yaroch pleads guilty in $2.47 million crypto theft
In brief
- Patrick Steven Yaroch, 37, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering on November 6, 2026.
- $2,474,380.66 was the stolen total in court filings, per Crypto Briefing.
- About 100 illicit transfers were tied to 35 separate criminal investigations, filings cite.
- About $1.12 million was recovered from Kraken and Suilend, per court filings cited by Crypto Briefing.
- Sentencing is set for March 4, 2027, with a maximum of 20 years.
How the theft worked
During FBI investigations, Yaroch got access to wallet credentials and seed phrases belonging to people connected to those cases. That's the whole game in crypto. A seed phrase works as the master key to a wallet, and whoever holds it can recreate that wallet and move its funds.
According to court filings as reported by Crypto Briefing, he made about 100 illicit transfers linked to 35 separate criminal investigations. The stolen assets included funds belonging to at least 10 crime victims. The filings say the scheme began no later than December 2024 and continued until his arrest around late July 2026, a period of well over a year.
Earlier charges cited smaller amounts, and the plea covers a broader scope of theft than prosecutors first described.
Crypto Briefing also reported that Yaroch asked ChatGPT for advice on investing about $1 million and moving to the EU. He was reportedly planning to move to Portugal, too.
What's been recovered
Per the filings as reported, recovered assets included about $188,600 held on the Kraken exchange and about $933,800 taken from Suilend (a decentralized lending platform where users deposit crypto to earn yield or borrow against it). Together, those two recoveries come to roughly $1.12 million of the stolen total.
The recovery operation also seized a Trezor hardware wallet and the relevant seed phrases.
Firing and sentencing
The FBI fired Yaroch on July 31, 2026, after he surrendered to authorities. He held the rank of supervisory special agent at the time.
He hasn't been sentenced yet. Sentencing is scheduled for March 4, 2027, and he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
Frequently asked questions
How did the former FBI agent get access to the crypto?
During FBI investigations, Yaroch got access to wallet credentials and seed phrases belonging to people connected to those cases. A seed phrase works as the master key to a crypto wallet. Whoever holds it can recreate the wallet and move its funds.
How much of the stolen crypto has been recovered?
Court filings, as reported by Crypto Briefing, list about $188,600 recovered from the Kraken exchange and about $933,800 taken from the Suilend lending protocol. Together that's roughly $1.12 million of the $2.47 million total. Authorities also seized a Trezor hardware wallet and the relevant seed phrases.
When will Patrick Yaroch be sentenced?
Yaroch's sentencing is scheduled for March 4, 2027. He pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering on November 6, 2026, and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
