FBI Agent Charged with Stealing Nearly $1 Million in Cryptocurrency
An FBI supervisor assigned to the U.S. intelligence community has been charged with transferring nearly $1 million from cryptocurrency accounts associated with Russia into his personal wallet. Patrick Yaroch faces two federal charges: interstate transportation of stolen goods and receipt of stolen goods. According to court documents, Yaroch expressed frustration to a Justice Department employee about the FBI's inability to act against adversarial cryptocurrency accounts during an investigation.
Yaroch reportedly stated that he was upset about not being able to disrupt the cryptocurrency activities of an adversarial nation, which sources identified as Russia. He acknowledged making poor decisions, admitting to accessing FBI systems to find keys necessary for transferring funds from cryptocurrency wallets to himself. The total amount transferred was approximately $925,426.07, executed through up to a dozen transactions.
In a confession detailed in an FBI affidavit, Yaroch mentioned that the guilt of his actions was overwhelming, leading him to disclose his misconduct. He submitted an online self-report form to the FBI and voluntarily met with personnel at FBI headquarters to discuss his actions, admitting he had “screwed up.” However, the affidavit noted that he had not interacted with anyone connected to the adversarial accounts.
Following the investigation, the FBI searched Yaroch's home, where he surrendered his FBI credentials and provided details of his cryptocurrency wallets. U.S. Magistrate Judge Lindsey R. Vaala of the Eastern District of Virginia ordered Yaroch to be temporarily detained, with a hearing scheduled for the following day. The FBI stated that it took immediate action upon learning of the allegations, confirming that Yaroch has been terminated from his position. A spokesperson emphasized the Bureau's commitment to maintaining high ethical standards and indicated that a thorough investigation is underway, with no further comments available due to the ongoing nature of the case.
