Former FBI agent pleads guilty to stealing about $2.5 million in crypto
Original title: FBI agent stole $2.5 million in crypto from hackers under investigation
He used case-system passphrases in about 100 transfers tied to 35 FBI investigations and faces sentencing on March 4.
Patrick Steven Yaroch, a former FBI agent, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering after moving cryptocurrency from wallets of fraud victims and suspects under investigation. The Justice Department said he used passphrases from FBI case systems and another investigative platform, then swapped the coins in an attempt to launder them. He self-reported on July 29, was fired the same day he was arrested, July 31, 2026, and prosecutors say the theft compromised investigations, sources, and methods.
- The Justice Department put illicit proceeds at about $2,474,380.66.
- About $93,082 moved to his accounts between November 25, 2025, and January 13, 2026.
- Each of the wire-fraud and money-laundering counts carries up to 20 years.
- He had asked ChatGPT about leaving the United States and had tickets toward Portugal.
Impact: About $2.47 million taken from investigation-related crypto wallets
- ATT&CK
- T1078 Valid Accounts
- Organizations
- FBIDepartment of Justice
- Countries
- Portugal
- AI models
- ChatGPT
From the original article
2 min read at bleepingcomputer.com
A former FBI agent has pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $2. 5 million from the wallets of fraud victims and nation-state hackers under investigation. [...]
By Sergiu Gatlan · bleepingcomputer.com
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