Ex-FBI agent indicted for stealing $1M in crypto from the FBI

Agent Used FBI Intelligence to Drain Adversary Wallets

Former FBI special agent Patrick Yaroch has been indicted for stealing roughly $1 million in cryptocurrency from the agency, after reportedly telling a Department of Justice colleague the theft was "eating him up inside."

According to an FBI affidavit, Yaroch, who worked at the FBI on national security and counterintelligence issues, confessed to a colleague on July 28 that he stole money from an investigative target's cryptocurrency wallets multiple times, using information he found in FBI systems. Yaroch, who held a top-secret clearance, first encountered the target, described as a national of a country the US considers an adversary, while working in Boston on a national security investigative squad.

According to the affidavit, Yaroch told investigators that he became frustrated at not being able to disrupt the target's cryptocurrency use, so starting in late 2024 he created his own cryptocurrency wallet, searched FBI systems for passphrases linked to adversarial accounts, and moved about $1 million in cryptocurrency into his personal wallet over 10 or 12 transactions.

Suilend, Kraken, and a Booked Flight to Portugal

Per the affidavit, Yaroch parked approximately $1 million on @SuiNetwork lending platform @suilendprotocol, reportedly telling agents he chose it because he liked the water droplet logo. A further $188,000 was held on Kraken.

Despite later claiming he never spent the money, Yaroch repeatedly asked @ChatGPT how he could use $1 million to start life over in another country. In May 2026 he asked the AI how to invest the funds for maximum return, and in June he asked how to relocate to an EU country. ChatGPT repeatedly recommended Portugal. Investigators also found flights booked for Yaroch, his wife, and child to fly to Portugal in September, along with documents granting power of attorney to two lawyers in Portugal with instructions to set up a local tax identification number.

The case is a striking illustration of the insider threat posed by personnel with privileged access to sensitive law enforcement intelligence, and raises fresh questions about oversight of crypto-related evidence held within federal agencies.

Sources:
Patch: Ashburn FBI Agent Accused of Stealing $1M in Crypto Using FBI Intelligence
Oversight.gov: FBI Agent Indicted for Theft