FBI Agent Charged with Stealing $1 Million in Crypto, Seeking ChatGPT Advice

A former FBI supervisory special agent has been charged with stealing nearly $1 million in cryptocurrency from wallets tied to FBI counterintelligence investigations. Patrick Steven Yaroch, who worked in the Counterintelligence and Espionage Division, held a Top Secret security clearance at the time of the thefts between early 2025 and July 2026.

Prosecutors allege that Yaroch accessed FBI systems to obtain cryptocurrency wallet seed phrases connected to investigations involving an unnamed foreign adversary. He allegedly memorized the recovery phrases, created his own cryptocurrency wallet, and transferred funds into accounts under his control about 10 times, growing the holdings to approximately $1 million.

During searches of his home and devices, investigators recovered a Trezor hardware wallet and handwritten cryptocurrency seed phrases. A Kraken account was found with a balance of around $188,570, including roughly $166,000 in U.S. dollars and nearly $18,000 in USDC, along with small amounts of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

Investigators also recovered several ChatGPT conversations from Yaroch's phone, where he asked for advice on investing or spending the stolen funds to maximize profit and return. He also sought guidance on relocating overseas, inquiring about becoming a resident or citizen of a European Union country.