Former FBI Employee Faces Legal Charges for Misusing Data to Steal Cryptocurrency
An FBI employee in Ashburn, VA, has been terminated and is facing legal charges for misusing FBI data to steal cryptocurrency from foreign accounts. Patrick Steven Yaroch, who worked on national security and counterintelligence matters, admitted to taking money from an investigative target's cryptocurrency wallets by using information from FBI systems. Yaroch, who had a top-secret clearance, confessed to transferring around $1 million in cryptocurrency from adversarial accounts to his personal wallet over multiple transactions. Despite this, he claimed he never used the money.
Yaroch sought advice from an AI application called ChatGPT on how to invest or spend $1 million to start a new life in another country. The application recommended Portugal as an ideal destination for retirement. Yaroch also inquired about visa requirements in Turkey and sought help in drafting an email for a job opportunity in Greece. Additionally, the FBI discovered Yaroch's undisclosed travels to Germany, Portugal, and Grenada between May and July 2026, which he failed to report as required.
Following the investigation, Yaroch was dismissed from his position at the FBI on July 31. He is facing charges for interstate transportation of stolen goods, securities, and monies, as well as receipt of stolen goods, securities, and monies.