Former FBI supervisor Patrick Steven Yaroch later confessed his actions to colleagues and FBI officials, according to an affidavit.
WASHINGTON — A former FBI supervisor charged with stealing cryptocurrency during national security investigations later confessed his actions to colleagues and FBI officials, according to an affidavit.
Patrick Steven Yaroch, a former FBI supervisory special agent who worked in counterintelligence, was charged with interstate transportation of stolen property and receiving stolen property.
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According to the affidavit, Yaroch had access to information about cryptocurrency wallets linked to a foreign adversary during FBI investigations. He allegedly used information stored in FBI systems to gain access to those wallets and transfer funds into cryptocurrency accounts he controlled.
Yaroch later told a Justice Department employee and FBI personnel that he began taking cryptocurrency in late 2024 or early 2025 and conducted roughly 10 to 12 transfers. According to the affidavit, he believed the value was less than $1 million. He also said he felt guilty and wanted to confess because the situation was “eating him up inside.”
He allegedly said he became frustrated during a counterintelligence investigation and decided to “take matters into his own hands” by accessing cryptocurrency tied to an adversarial nation.
The FBI began its investigation July 29 after Yaroch voluntarily reported his actions to FBI officials and submitted a self-report to the FBI’s Security Division. FBI agents later went to his home in Ashburn, Virginia, where he initially handed over a piece of paper containing information related to cryptocurrency wallet access before asking for it back.
A federal judge approved search warrants for Yaroch, his residence and his vehicle. FBI agents executed those warrants July 31, according to the affidavit. Yaroch declined a formal interview until he could consult an attorney.
During the search, FBI agents recovered an iPhone, multiple computers, a cryptocurrency hardware wallet, passports and a handwritten note containing what investigators believe were cryptocurrency seed phrases used to access digital wallets.
Investigators found cryptocurrency accounts on Yaroch’s phone and allege he controlled wallets containing hundreds of thousands of dollars. According to the affidavit, one account held about $188,000 and another held about $934,000. Yaroch allegedly told agents he mixed stolen cryptocurrency with his personal funds.
On July 31, he signed forms allowing the FBI to seize cryptocurrency from accounts under his control. The FBI transferred approximately $925,000 worth of cryptocurrency into government-controlled wallets, according to the affidavit.
Investigators also found ChatGPT conversations discussing how to invest or maximize returns on $1 million, moving to or obtaining residency in Europe, and drafting an email regarding a job opportunity and life in Greece. Agents also found records showing a planned family trip to Portugal in September 2026. The affidavit says investigators found power-of-attorney documents authorizing attorneys in Portugal to obtain a Portuguese tax identification number on Yaroch’s behalf.
The FBI also said Yaroch failed to report several foreign trips that employees with security clearances are required to disclose. According to investigators, Yaroch traveled to Germany and Portugal in May 2026 and to Grenada from June 30 to July 5, 2026.
After recovering the cryptocurrency, FBI agents arrested Yaroch on July 31, 2026, and transported him to the Alexandria Adult Detention Center.