A former FBI agent has pleaded guilty to stealing $2.47 million in cryptocurrency from wallets connected to 35 FBI investigations, according to prosecutors. The case centers on roughly 100 unauthorized transfers that moved digital assets out of accounts linked to active or prior bureau matters.
Patrick Steven Yaroch also admitted laundering the proceeds by converting the funds into other cryptocurrencies and routing them through additional transactions intended to hide their origin and ownership. Prosecutors said the thefts not only diverted seized or controlled assets but also disrupted investigations and exposed sensitive FBI intelligence sources and techniques.
Guilty plea in a wide-ranging theft scheme
Prosecutors said Yaroch carried out the thefts through a series of unauthorized crypto transfers tied to dozens of FBI cases. In total, the government said the wallets affected were associated with 35 investigations and that the stolen amount reached about $2.47 million.
The laundering element of the case involved moving the proceeds through further crypto transactions after converting them into other digital assets. Authorities said those steps were designed to make the trail harder to follow and obscure who controlled the funds.
Personal spending and overseas plans
According to prosecutors, some of the stolen money was used for ordinary personal expenses. They said Yaroch paid personal debts with the funds, including credit card bills and car payments.
The government also said it uncovered plans suggesting he intended to use the money to build a life abroad. Among the details cited were an attempt to obtain a tax identification number in Portugal and consideration of buying a vineyard there.
Prosecutors further said that between November 2025 and January 2026, about $93,082 was transferred into one account.
Career background and impact on FBI cases
Yaroch worked in the FBI’s Boston Division from 2017 until early 2025, and later served in Counterintelligence and Espionage, according to the case description. His position gave him access to matters involving sensitive investigations and the handling of digital evidence or assets.
Authorities said the misconduct had consequences beyond the financial losses. The case, they said, disrupted ongoing investigations and compromised confidential intelligence sources and bureau techniques, raising the stakes well beyond a conventional theft prosecution.
Potential sentence and next court date
Yaroch faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The guilty plea resolves the core criminal allegations, but the final penalty will be determined at sentencing.
The next confirmed step is sentencing, which has been set for March 4, 2027. At that hearing, the court is expected to weigh the admitted thefts, the laundering conduct, and the broader damage prosecutors say the scheme caused to FBI operations.
Source: news.bitcoin.com