Former FBI agent Patrick Stephen Yarok stole $1 million worth of cryptocurrency—which had been the subject of an investigation—while he was still working for the agency, and consulted ChatGPT on how to invest the money and move to Europe. In late July, he contacted the U.S. Department of Justice on his own initiative and confessed to the theft, according to RBC.
“On the afternoon of July 28, 2026, Yarok contacted a Department of Justice official via Signal and requested a meeting to discuss personal matters. During the meeting at FBI headquarters, Yarok immediately became agitated and began telling his story,” the complaint states.
The thefts took place from early 2025 through July 2026, when Yarok worked in the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division and had access to top-secret information. He admitted that he had obtained the seed phrases for crypto wallets linked to the investigations and had transferred funds to a new wallet he had created 10–12 times. According to Yarok, his crypto assets reached approximately $1 million.
During searches of Yarok’s home, investigators discovered a Trezor hardware wallet and written-down seed phrases. Later, an account on the Kraken exchange was identified with a balance of about $188,500, along with transfers totaling $1 million from his cryptocurrency wallet to the Suilend crypto service.
On Yarok’s phone, investigators found conversations with ChatGPT—he had asked the AI how he should invest or spend $1 million to maximize his profits. He also inquired about what a person with a net worth of about $1 million needs to do to leave the U.S. and become a resident or citizen of an EU country, and whether Americans need a visa when transferring flights in Turkey. In addition, Yarok asked the neural network for help drafting a letter about employment opportunities and life in Greece.
Investigators also learned of plans for a family trip to Portugal and the process of obtaining the necessary documents for the trip. However, based on Yarok’s confessions and the evidence found, a decision was made to arrest him. Yarok stated that the trip to Portugal was not related to the stolen money and expressed hope that his wife and daughter would still be able to go.
