Ex-FBI agent pleads guilty in $2.5M cryptocurrency theft scheme after asking ChatGPT how to flee to Portugal

A former FBI agent from Northern Virginia pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering in a cryptocurrency theft scheme, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Virginia. Patrick Steven Yaroch, 37, of Ashburn, worked at the FBI Boston Division from 2017 to early 2025, according to court evidence. From February 2025 to July 2026, he worked at the FBI's Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. He had access to FBI systems that held cryptocurrency credentials that were collected during investigations. In December 2024, Yaroch used his position to steal cryptocurrency wallets from subjects of various investigations. At least one of the wallets was created by the FBI for use in an operation, according to court documents.