FBI Agent Patrick Yaroch Arrested Over Alleged Theft of About $1 Million in Crypto Assets

FBI agent Patrick Yaroch was arrested last Friday over allegations that he stole about $1 million in crypto assets from what investigators described as hostile crypto accounts. According to Odaily, an affidavit filed on August 1 said Yaroch is suspected of moving the assets starting in late 2024 or early 2025.Yaroch told investigators that he found keys that allowed him to transfer funds from digital wallets to himself. He said he was frustrated that he could not further stop people tied to a hostile country from using cryptocurrency and made about a dozen transfers.Justice Department documents said Yaroch told a department employee that he made "some very bad decisions" regarding crypto wallets. In another interview with federal agents, he also said he had "messed up." The FBI fired him on July 31.The investigation also said Yaroch mixed personal funds with crypto assets and used ChatGPT to ask how to handle the money, including how to spend or invest $1 million and whether he should leave the United States for a country in Europe. Yaroch had previously served as a supervisory special agent in the FBI's counterintelligence and espionage division at headquarters and earlier worked at the FBI's Boston field office.