Inside job! FBI agent steals seed phrase and makes off with a million in crypto, even asks ChatGPT how to spend it According to multiple media reports, FBI agent Patrick Yaroch has been accused of stealing nearly $1 million from a crypto wallet involved in a counterintelligence investigation. At the time, Yaroch was working with the FBI's National Security Investigations team on a case targeting a "hostile nation." Allegedly frustrated by the agency's lack of action against the misuse of crypto accounts, he decided to take matters into his own hands. Yaroch memorized the wallet's seed phrase, created a new wallet, and transferred funds in about 10 to 12 transactions. ChatGPT logs reveal that in May of this year, he asked the AI how to invest or spend the $1 million to "maximize profit and returns." ChatGPT's advice factored in his age and lifestyle, noting that he was "37 years old, has a small family, plans to retire around 40, and is interested in creating a slow-paced vineyard/agricultural lifestyle in the Cilento region or Portugal's Dão area." Investigators discovered he had already booked round-trip tickets to Portugal for September 3. On July 28, Yaroch voluntarily approached the Department of Justice to confess, admitting he had made a "very bad decision." He claimed his actions stemmed from frustration over the FBI's failure to act on the wallets, leading him to "take matters into his own hands." That evening, the FBI raided his Virginia residence, seizing electronic devices, a Trezor hardware wallet, and a handwritten seed phrase. He agreed to transfer approximately $925,000 in crypto assets to a government-controlled wallet. Yaroch was fired and arrested by the FBI the same day.