Former FBI Agent Charged With Stealing $1M in Cryptocurrency
In brief
- Patrick Steven Yaroch, former FBI supervisory special agent, charged with stealing nearly $1M cryptocurrency from investigation wallets.
- Thefts occurred 2025–July 2026 while Yaroch held Top Secret clearance in Counterintelligence and Espionage Division.
- Yaroch used ChatGPT to plan $1M investment strategy and European relocation; investigators recovered $188,570 in Kraken account and hardware wallet.
How the Theft Unfolded
Yaroch worked in the FBI's Counterintelligence and Espionage Division when he accessed FBI systems to obtain cryptocurrency wallet seed phrases connected to investigations involving an unnamed foreign adversary. He memorized the recovery phrases, created his own cryptocurrency wallet, and transferred funds into accounts under his control about 10 times. Investigators recovered a Trezor hardware wallet and handwritten cryptocurrency seed phrases from his home and devices.
Agents examining his accounts discovered a Kraken account with a balance of about $188,570, including roughly $166,000 in U.S. dollars and nearly $18,000 in USDC. The breadth of the digital trail proved difficult to conceal.
ChatGPT Searches Reveal Relocation Plans
On May 28, Yaroch asked ChatGPT how he should invest or spend $1 million to maximize profit and return. Less than a week later, he asked the AI chatbot what someone with about $1 million should do to leave the U.S. and become a resident or citizen of a European Union country. His subsequent searches included whether Americans need a visa when connecting through Turkey and help drafting a follow-up email about a job opportunity and life in Greece.
Investigators also found evidence of a planned family trip to Portugal, power-of-attorney documents related to Portugal, and previously unreported foreign travel. The pattern suggested an active effort to relocate before the theft could be discovered.
Admission and Arrest
On July 28, 2026, Yaroch contacted a DOJ employee via Signal and requested to meet to discuss personal matters. When they met at FBI headquarters, he admitted his actions. Yaroch was arrested on July 31.
