Ex-FBI special agent charged with stealing nearly $1 million in crypto from evidence wallets

A former FBI supervisory special agent has been charged with the theft of close to $1 million in cryptocurrency from wallets linked to agency counterintelligence cases, according to a criminal complaint unsealed Friday.

Charges Stem from FBI Investigations

Prosecutors allege that Patrick Steven Yaroch, who previously worked in the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division, misappropriated funds while holding a Top Secret security clearance. Authorities claim the thefts occurred on approximately 10 occasions between early 2025 and July 2026.

Court records indicate that Yaroch transferred cryptocurrency out of wallets tied to FBI investigations and diverted those funds to newly created wallets under his sole control. The total value of the assets grew to nearly $1 million over time, according to filings reviewed by federal prosecutors.

Yaroch faces counts of interstate transportation of stolen goods and receipt of stolen goods.

Admission and Investigation

Federal investigators stated that Yaroch accessed FBI systems to obtain seed phrases required to recover wallet funds, which were part of ongoing cases involving an unnamed foreign adversary. He manually memorized the recovery data to facilitate unauthorized transfers.

Agents stated that on July 28, 2026, Yaroch reached out to a Department of Justice employee through the Signal messaging app, requesting a meeting at FBI headquarters. During this meeting, he admitted his involvement in the theft and recounted the events in detail.

During his conversation with federal agents, Yaroch described how he gained access to sensitive information, created wallets, and managed a series of transactions that built the stolen stash to nearly $1 million in digital assets.

Searches of Yaroch’s home and electronic devices uncovered a Trezor hardware wallet—a portable security device designed for digital asset storage—along with written notes containing seed phrases. Investigators also found a Kraken exchange account showing a balance of about $188,570, a sum that included around $166,000 in U.S. dollars and nearly $18,000 in USDC.

Additional cryptocurrency, including minor amounts of Bitcoin and various other tokens, were also observed in the account.

Mini dictionary: Trezor, a hardware wallet used for storing cryptocurrencies offline, offers enhanced security against remote hacks and unauthorized digital access.

ChatGPT Conversations and Plans to Relocate

Investigators reported that, in addition to the financial trail, electronic evidence revealed Yaroch engaged ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence chatbot developed by OpenAI, for guidance on how to manage the stolen funds and leave the United States.

Chat transcripts extracted from Yaroch’s personal phone show that on May 28, he asked ChatGPT how to invest or spend $1 million to maximize returns. Shortly after, he sought advice on relocating to Europe, inquiring about citizenship or residency options in the European Union with $1 million in liquid assets. He also researched visa requirements for U.S. citizens traveling through Turkey, and drafted correspondence about employment and life in Greece with the chatbot’s help.

Chat logs indicated Yaroch looked for ways to move the $1 million abroad, secure legal residency, and find new work opportunities, highlighting his plans to leave the country with his family.

Further searches uncovered plans for a family trip to Portugal, as well as power-of-attorney paperwork for that country. Prosecutors view these documents, combined with evidence from the investigation, as support for probable cause in Yaroch’s arrest on July 31.

During questioning, agents presented Yaroch with the Portugal-related documents. He denied plans to move funds to Portugal, explaining a pre-existing family vacation scheduled for September 2026. Yaroch reportedly expressed concern that he might be unable to join, but hoped his wife and child would still take the trip.

According to court filings, prosecutors are using the combination of Yaroch’s admissions, travel plans, recovered assets, and documented communications as the foundation of their case.