A former FBI supervisory special agent has been arrested and charged with stealing nearly $1 million in cryptocurrency using access obtained through a national security investigation. The case has sent shockwaves through the law enforcement and crypto communities, raising serious questions about insider abuse of sensitive investigative tools.
Who Is Patrick Yaroch?
Patrick Steven Yaroch previously served as a supervisory special agent in the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division and also worked in the bureau’s Boston office. His role granted him access to sensitive information about cryptocurrency accounts that were being monitored as part of national security investigations.
According to court records, Yaroch told a Justice Department employee that he was frustrated the FBI “could not or would not act against adversarial cryptocurrency accounts.” He reportedly said he was upset that he couldn’t do more to disrupt cryptocurrency use by an adversarial nation during an investigation.
In an FBI affidavit, Yaroch admitted to making “some very poor decisions” and said he “went into FBI systems and found keys needed to transfer money from wallets to himself.”
How Was the Crypto Allegedly Stolen?
Court documents allege that Yaroch set up a personal cryptocurrency wallet in late 2024 and obtained passphrases and other wallet-access information through FBI databases. He allegedly completed between 10 and 12 transfers beginning in late 2024 or early 2025, moving digital assets into wallets under his control.
Federal agents later searched Yaroch’s home in Ashburn, Virginia, where they recovered devices, a hardware wallet, and handwritten notes believed to contain cryptocurrency seed phrases. Authorities eventually transferred approximately $925,000 in cryptocurrency from accounts under his control into government-controlled wallets.
Plans to Manage the Funds
Investigators also found conversations on Yaroch’s phone in which he explored ways to invest or manage around $1 million and considered relocating overseas. Recovered records reportedly included material connected to Portugal and plans for international travel.
An FBI spokesperson said: “The individual has since been fired from the Bureau. We hold our employees to the highest ethical standards, and this conduct is not tolerated at the FBI. We are conducting a thorough investigation in the aftermath, and as this is an ongoing matter, we will have no further comment.”
Federal Charges and Next Steps
Authorities said Yaroch eventually disclosed his actions to a former colleague and contacted government officials about his conduct. He now faces federal charges related to interstate transportation of stolen property and receipt of stolen property. The allegations remain unproven, and the criminal case is ongoing.