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Patrick Yaroch says guilty to stealing $2.47m in crypto from FBI wallets
A former FBI counterintelligence agent has admitted taking $2.47m in cryptocurrency from wallets tied to 35 federal investigations, far more than the $1m first alleged after his arrest.
Why it matters: The case shows how access to seized crypto wallets during investigations can be abused, and the scale of the losses grew from $1m to $2.47m across dozens of FBI probes.
Key points
- Patrick Steven Yaroch pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering over about 100 unauthorised transfers totalling $2,474,380.66.
- He faces up to 20 years in prison, with sentencing set for 4 March 2027, before Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles.
The plea covers wire fraud and money laundering over roughly 100 unauthorised transfers, and the total is well above the $1m first alleged after his arrest on 31 July.
The wallets belonged to criminal suspects and foreign adversaries, and at least one had been set up by the FBI for an undercover operation. Yaroch worked in the bureau's Boston Division from 2017 until early 2025 before moving to its Counterintelligence and Espionage Division.
The Justice Department says the thefts disrupted investigations into criminal organisations and hostile governments and exposed intelligence-gathering techniques and sources. The article also notes the case of former UK National Crime Agency officer Paul Chowles, ordered to repay about $2.38m for stealing 50 Bitcoin.
Live updates on NewsFeeds:AltcoinsDesk editor: Keshav Aggarwal (accountable for this page; this summary was not edited by hand)
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