Ex-FBI Agent Stole $2.47M in Crypto, DOJ Says

Patrick Steven Yaroch, a 37-year-old former FBI counterintelligence agent, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering for stealing $2,474,380.66 in cryptocurrency, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Prosecutors said Yaroch exploited his access to FBI systems while handling investigations involving criminal groups and adversarial nations. He made approximately 100 fraudulent transfers connected to 35 FBI investigations, taking digital assets from wallets under investigation before exchanging and laundering the proceeds to conceal their source and ownership.

Yaroch used the stolen funds to pay personal debts and finance his planned relocation to Portugal, where he intended to buy a vineyard. His actions also compromised FBI investigations and potentially obstructed operations targeting foreign adversaries.

Yaroch faces up to 20 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for March 4, 2027.