Suspect in alleged $46 million US Marshals crypto theft arrested in Saint Martin, FBI says

A suspect accused of stealing tens of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency from U.S. government wallets has been arrested in Saint Martin, according to Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel.

In a Thursday morning post on X, Patel said John Daghita was taken into custody on the Caribbean island in a joint operation between the FBI and French authorities. Patel alleged that Daghita stole more than $46 million in cryptocurrency from the U.S. Marshals Service.

The arrest was carried out by the French Gendarmerie’s International Cooperation Team Serious Crime Unit in Saint Martin and the Groupe d’intervention de la Gendarmerie nationale of Guadeloupe, according to Patel.

The arrest follows allegations first raised in January by blockchain investigator ZachXBT, who linked an individual named John Daghita, known online as “Lick,” to the theft from wallets tied to U.S. government-seized cryptocurrency.

ZachXBT’s investigation alleged that Daghita siphoned funds from wallets connected to assets seized in the 2016 Bitfinex hack, which were subsequently moved through a series of addresses and exchanges.

The investigator also alleged that Daghita is the son of Dean Daghita, president of Command Services & Support (CMDSS), a firm awarded a 2024 contract with the U.S. Marshals Service to help manage certain seized cryptocurrencies.

Patel’s post announcing the arrest described John Daghita himself as a U.S. government contractor, though it is unclear whether he held a direct role with the firm.

Following news of the arrest, ZachXBT said on X that the suspect had previously taunted him through a Telegram channel and sent small transactions, known as “dust attacks,” from wallets containing allegedly stolen funds to his public address.

CMDSS’s government contract had previously drawn scrutiny. A competing firm challenged the award in 2024, arguing that CMDSS lacked certain financial-industry registrations and citing potential conflicts of interest tied to the company’s hiring of a former Marshals Service official. The Government Accountability Office ultimately rejected the protest.