Former FBI Counterintelligence Agent Admits Stealing Nearly $2.5 Million in Seized Crypto

A onetime FBI counterintelligence agent has confessed to wire fraud and money laundering after taking close to $2.5 million in digital assets. Patrick Steven Yaroch, 37, held investigative roles that gave him access to bureau systems, and prosecutors say he used that access to drain wallets tied to adversarial nations and to accounts under active investigation. He then moved the coins through exchanges and other transactions to hide where they came from and who owned them.

How the Crypto Theft Worked

According to the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, Yaroch made roughly 100 fraudulent transfers linked to 35 FBI investigations, collecting $2,474,380.66. In August he had already admitted to unauthorized transfers involving about $1 million, so the full amount turned out far larger. He admitted the thefts damaged FBI cases involving criminal groups and foreign adversaries.

Prosecutors say he used the money to clear his debts and planned to fund a new life in Portugal, where he hoped to buy a vineyard.

Yaroch faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. A judge is scheduled to sentence him on March 4, 2027.