John Daghita, an individual identified as an alleged U.S. government contractor, was apprehended last night on the island of Saint Martin. He is accused of orchestrating the theft of more than $46 million in cryptocurrency from the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS). The arrest was the result of a meticulously coordinated operation between the FBI and French authorities, including the French Gendarmerie’s elite tactical unit and the International Cooperation Team Serious Crime Unit.

FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the arrest via a tweet, expressing gratitude for the outstanding coordination with the French Gendarmerie National in Saint Martin and Guadeloupe. Patel emphasized the FBI's ongoing commitment to collaborating with international partners to pursue and prosecute individuals who attempt to defraud American taxpayers, regardless of their hiding place.

The intricate case revolves around allegations that Daghita, known online by blockchain investigator ZachXBT as “Lick,” exploited insider access to siphon digital assets from government-linked wallets. John Daghita is the son of Dean Daghita, who serves as president and CEO of Command Services & Support (CMDSS), a Virginia-based technology firm. CMDSS held a contract with the USMS, awarded in October 2024, specifically to manage and dispose of certain categories of seized cryptocurrency. This included funds tied to complex criminal cases and high-profile seizures, such as those related to the 2016 Bitfinex hack, particularly digital assets not supported by major exchanges. Daghita's alleged access to millions in crypto stemmed from this connection.

According to ZachXBT's investigation, Daghita reportedly demonstrated the capability to transfer millions of dollars in real time during a private Telegram chat dispute. Subsequent on-chain analysis conducted by ZachXBT successfully linked these wallets to addresses known to contain government-seized assets. One wallet purportedly under Daghita's control was found to hold 12,540 ether, which was valued at approximately $36 million at current prices. Further transaction analyses indicated that roughly $20 million was removed from USMS-linked wallets in October 2024. While most of this amount was reportedly returned within a day, approximately $700,000, which was routed through instant exchanges, was not recovered. Estimates of the total suspected thefts could potentially surpass $90 million when factoring in activity observed in late 2025.

As of now, U.S. officials have not publicly disclosed the specific methods Daghita allegedly used to access the cryptocurrency or the wallets. Furthermore, it remains unconfirmed whether CMDSS’s internal controls were bypassed or exploited. This case has intensified the scrutiny surrounding the U.S. Marshals Service’s cryptocurrency holdings, which some analysts estimate to be over 198,000 BTC, valued at tens of billions of dollars. Allegations of insider theft and concerns regarding improper management have fueled calls for significant reform in how federal agencies secure and track digital assets, especially those confiscated from criminal cases.