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FBI supervisory agent Patrick Steven Yaroch has been charged after allegedly taking nearly $1 million in cryptocurrency from accounts linked to a foreign target under investigation. Court documents say Yaroch used wallet credentials found in FBI systems to transfer the funds into accounts he controlled.
Yaroch contacted a Justice Department employee on July 28 and admitted making “very poor decisions related to cryptocurrency wallets.” The FBI searched his Virginia home and vehicle before arresting him and terminating his employment on July 31.
Agent Allegedly Used Keys Found in FBI Systems
Yaroch previously worked on a national security investigation involving a person from a country described in court filings as an adversarial nation. He later joined the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division in Washington and held a top-secret security clearance.
Investigators allege that Yaroch searched FBI systems for credentials linked to the target’s crypto accounts. He then made around 10 to 12 transfers beginning in late 2024 or early 2025.
Yaroch reportedly told investigators that he acted after becoming frustrated that the FBI could not or would not disrupt the accounts. He said the transferred crypto had been mixed with his personal assets, making the exact amount difficult to calculate.
Yaroch Admits Poor Decisions Before Arrest
The court filing says Yaroch approached a Justice Department employee because he felt ashamed of his actions. He later provided investigators with access to his phone and identified the crypto services he had used.
Investigators found about $933,756 in an account on decentralized lending platform Suilend. Yaroch’s Kraken account also contained roughly $188,570, mainly in U.S. dollars and the USDC stablecoin, although those balances included personal funds.
Charges Target the Movement of Stolen Crypto
Yaroch faces charges of interstate transportation and receipt of stolen goods, securities, and money. He has not been charged under a separate crypto-specific theft law, and the allegations have not yet been proven in court.
Court documents do not identify a lawyer representing Yaroch. The case will proceed in federal court in Virginia, where prosecutors must prove the elements of the transportation and receipt charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
