FBI agent charged with stealing $1 million in crypto from foreign adversarial wallets

An FBI employee with top-secret security clearance has been arrested and charged with stealing approximately $1 million in cryptocurrency from wallets belonging to foreign adversaries, using sensitive intelligence he accessed through bureau systems. Patrick Steven Yaroch, stationed in Ashburn, Virginia, allegedly executed 10 to 12 transactions beginning in late 2024 to move digital assets from foreign adversarial wallets into his own accounts. His scheme unraveled when he confessed to a colleague on July 28, 2026. The inside job Yaroch worked extensively in national security and counterintelligence, giving him precisely the kind of access that made this theft possible. According to the charges, he leveraged FBI intelligence systems to obtain passphrases for the targeted wallets. On August 3, 2026, law enforcement agents conducted a search of Yaroch’s residence and seized $925,426.07 from his various wallets and accounts. That’s roughly 92.5% of the estimated $1 million he allegedly stole. Yaroch was terminated from his FBI position and arrested the same day. He now faces federal charges including interstate transportation and receipt of stolen goods, securities, and monies. The Cha...