FBI Agent Accused of Stealing $900K in Cryptocurrency Arrested

An FBI agent accused of stealing nearly $1 million in cryptocurrency has been arrested and fired by the agency. According to court records, Patrick Steven Yaroch, a member of the FBI's national security investigative squad, grew frustrated with government inaction over the misuse of crypto accounts and used his internal access to transfer the funds to his personal account.

The alleged theft occurred while the FBI was monitoring cryptocurrency accounts allegedly used by criminal and state actors from Russia, China, and elsewhere. The affidavit reflects how artificial intelligence and cryptocurrencies are changing criminal investigations.

An attorney for Yaroch has not been listed in court records. An FBI spokesperson stated that as soon as they became aware of the allegations, they took action, began an investigation, and executed an arrest warrant last week.