FBI Agent Stole $2.47 Million In Crypto, Asked ChatGPT How To Move To Portugal And Buy A Vineyard - BroBible
Former FBI agent Patrick Steven Yaroch, 37, has pleaded guilty to stealing $2.47 million in cryptocurrency from federal investigation accounts, including funds meant for crime victims.
Yaroch, of Ashburn, Virginia, stole cryptocurrency from accounts connected to 35 FBI investigations. Some of the stolen funds belonged to people the FBI was supposed to help, while other funds came from accounts linked to foreign adversaries and even an FBI-created crypto wallet for operations.
The Theft
Between December 2024 and July 2026, Yaroch made approximately 100 fraudulent cryptocurrency transfers. Individual transfers ranged from just 81 cents to more than $580,000. Prosecutors described his thefts as "indiscriminate."
He then moved the stolen cryptocurrency through additional transactions and converted it into other digital currencies to conceal its origin. Some of the money went toward paying credit card bills, car payments, and other debts.
Portugal Plan
According to federal investigators, Yaroch used ChatGPT to plan his escape with the stolen funds. He asked: "If you had a bucket of money (around $1 million) and you wanted to leave the USA and become a resident or citizen of an EU country, what would you do?"
If you had a bucket of money (around $1 million) and you wanted to leave the USA and become a resident or citizen of an EU country, what would you do?
Portugal was suggested as a potential destination where he could buy a vineyard. Yaroch reportedly hired Portuguese attorneys and booked a September trip with his family, but was arrested in July before he could make the move.
Sentencing
Yaroch pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering last week. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 4, 2027, and faces up to 20 years in prison. The case follows another former intelligence official's admission to stealing nearly $194 million through a fake CIA program.
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