FBI Agent Stole $1 Million in Crypto: Asked ChatGPT Which Country to Flee To

An FBI agent has been arrested for allegedly using artificial intelligence to help him spend $1 million in stolen cryptocurrency and flee the country.

Patrick Yaroch, a high-ranking official within the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States, was detained on charges of stealing cryptocurrency from accounts reportedly belonging to hostile states. Yaroch, who served as a supervisory special agent in the FBI’s counterintelligence and espionage unit, confessed his mistakes to federal investigators after being caught.

According to the indictment, Yaroch obtained private keys that granted access to digital wallets between late 2024 and early 2025. Using these keys, the former agent conducted approximately a dozen transfers, commingling the stolen funds with his personal assets. Information in the investigation file reveals that Yaroch confessed to his crimes, admitting he made “very bad decisions” regarding the crypto wallets during this period.

Escape Plan to Portugal via ChatGPT

The most striking detail of the investigation was that Yaroch consulted ChatGPT on how to utilize the stolen $1 million and which country to flee to. It was determined that he asked the AI for a European country where he could live with his family, that had a wine culture, and where he could purchase large tracts of land. Based on these criteria, the AI reportedly suggested Portugal as the primary option.

Acting on the advice received from the AI, it was discovered that Yaroch purchased a round-trip ticket to Portugal for September 3. Dismissed from the FBI on July 31, Yaroch is currently facing charges for the interstate transportation of stolen property and illegal acquisition of assets. As reflected in the visuals, this incident, which involved a breach of internal security protocols, once again demonstrates how critical insider threats are in the protection of cryptocurrency assets.