A former FBI special agent has been indicted after US authorities accused him of stealing about $1 million in cryptocurrency from the FBI. The case centers on Patrick Steven Yaroch, who worked at the bureau from February 2025 through July 2026 and now faces charges of receipt of stolen goods and interstate transportation of stolen goods.
The allegations are laid out in an FBI affidavit filed by another special agent. According to that filing, investigators traced crypto linked to the alleged theft to accounts and services including Kraken and Suilend, and later examined material found on Yaroch’s phone as part of the inquiry.
Charges and employment timeline
The indictment names Yaroch, a former FBI special agent, and says he is accused of taking cryptocurrency valued at roughly $1 million from the agency. The available court description does not present a conviction or admission of guilt; it outlines the government’s allegations and the charges now brought against him.
According to the source material, Yaroch was employed by the FBI from February 2025 until July 2026. The criminal counts cited in the case are receipt of stolen goods and interstate transportation of stolen goods.
How investigators say the funds moved
The affidavit says Yaroch’s alleged activity involved moving the crypto through Suilend and Kraken. Investigators later accessed a Kraken account tied to him and found about $188,570.58 in value there, consisting mainly of USDC and US dollars.
The same filing states that about $1 million had previously been transferred to Suilend. In an account described by investigators, Yaroch reportedly said he chose that service because he liked its water-droplet logo.
Wallet phrases and account access
Investigators also described an interaction in which Yaroch surrendered wallet key phrases to the FBI. The affidavit says he later withdrew that consent, a detail that forms part of the broader narrative presented by the bureau in support of the case.
The source article does not say that all of the allegedly stolen funds were recovered. It only specifies the amount found in the Kraken account and the larger sum investigators say had been sent to Suilend.
ChatGPT searches and Portugal travel plans
Agents also reviewed conversations on ChatGPT found on Yaroch’s phone, according to the affidavit. In those chats, he allegedly sought advice on investing $1 million and on relocating abroad.
The filing says ChatGPT suggested Portugal as a favorable destination. Investigators also noted that Yaroch had an upcoming trip scheduled from the United States to Portugal. He allegedly told agents he was not planning to funnel money into Portugal, and said he hoped his wife and child would still be able to take the trip.
What comes next
At this stage, the confirmed development is the indictment and the publication of the affidavit describing the government’s evidence and theory of the case. The charges will now move through the court process, where prosecutors will seek to prove the allegations and the defense will have the opportunity to challenge them.
Beyond the sums cited in the affidavit, the source material does not provide further detail on the status of the crypto, any plea, or a trial schedule.
Source: protos.com