FBI Agent Fired for Stealing $1M in Crypto from Foreign Accounts Using FBI Intel

FBI Agent Fired for Stealing $1M in Crypto from Foreign Accounts

Ashburn, VA resident Patrick Steven Yaroch, a former FBI agent with top-secret clearance, has been fired and charged with stealing over $1 million in cryptocurrency from foreign accounts using FBI intelligence. According to court documents, Yaroch worked on national security and counterintelligence issues and became frustrated with not being able to disrupt an adversary's use of cryptocurrency.

Starting in late 2024, Yaroch created his own wallet and searched the FBI system for passphrases associated with adversarial accounts, moving about $1 million in cryptocurrency into his personal wallet over 10 or 12 transactions. He allegedly never used the money.

The FBI discovered that Yaroch had been using ChatGPT to plan his escape from the US, asking how he could invest and spend $1 million to maximize profit and return. The AI recommended Portugal as an ideal country to retire, and Yaroch booked flights to the country for himself and his family in September.