Former FBI Agent Pleads Guilty to Stealing $2.47M in Crypto Across 35 Cases - Bitcoin News
A former FBI agent has pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $2.5 million in cryptocurrency obtained through his access to confidential credentials from dozens of federal investigations.
Patrick Steven Yaroch, a former FBI counterintelligence agent from Ashburn, Virginia, pleaded guilty Thursday to wire fraud and money laundering, according to the Justice Department.
Prosecutors said Yaroch carried out approximately 100 unauthorized cryptocurrency transfers involving credentials associated with 35 separate FBI investigations, collecting $2,474,380.66 in illicit proceeds.
The thefts began no later than Dec. 2024 and involved wallets belonging to criminal suspects, foreign adversaries, and at least one wallet created by the FBI for an undercover operation.
Laundering and Personal Use
After stealing the funds, Yaroch converted them into other cryptocurrencies and moved them through additional transactions to disguise their origins and ownership.
Between Nov. 2025 and Jan. 2026, he transferred approximately $93,082 into one of his accounts and subsequently moved funds between other accounts to pay credit card bills, car payments, and other debts.
Investigators also uncovered plans to use the stolen proceeds to establish a new life overseas.
According to prosecutors, Yaroch consulted ChatGPT about investment strategies and potential places to live in the European Union.
After receiving a suggestion to purchase a vineyard in Portugal, he authorized Portuguese lawyers in June 2026 to obtain a tax identification number and handle other administrative matters on his behalf.
He subsequently arranged to travel to Portugal in September.
Consequences and Sentencing
Federal prosecutors said Yaroch’s conduct had consequences beyond the financial losses, disrupting investigations involving criminal organizations and hostile foreign governments.
According to the Justice Department, his actions also exposed sensitive FBI intelligence-gathering techniques and compromised sources used in criminal and national security investigations.
The case adds to previous incidents involving law enforcement personnel who misappropriated cryptocurrency obtained during investigations.
Yaroch is scheduled to be sentenced on March 4, 2027, and faces a maximum prison term of 20 years.
U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles will determine his sentence under federal sentencing guidelines and other applicable factors.
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