Director of the FBI, Kash Patel, has announced that the contractor accused of stealing $46 million worth of cryptocurrency has been apprehended by the FBI -Credit:Reach Publishing Services Limited
(Reach Publishing Services Limited)
Director of the FBI, Kash Patel, has announced that the contractor accused of stealing $46 million worth of cryptocurrency has been apprehended by the FBI.
“Last night, John Daghita – a U.S. government contractor who allegedly stole more than $46 million in cryptocurrency from the U.S Marshals Service – was arrested on the island of Saint Martin by the French Gendarmerie’s premier elite tactical unit in a joint operation with the @FBI,” wrote Patel. “Thanks to the International Cooperation Team Serious Crime Unit of the French Gendarmerie National in Saint Martin, and the Groupe d’intervention de la Gendarmerie nationale of Guadeloupe for the outstanding coordination.”
“FBI will continue working 24/7 with our international partners to track down, apprehend, and bring to justice those who attempt to defraud American taxpayers—no matter where they try to hide,” the statement finished. The post included a photo of Daghita, handcuffed and escorted by officers, wearing a white T-shirt, orange pants, and sandals.
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It was also announced by the FBI that they managed to seize a laptop filled with cash and several flash drives. It was reported that investigators traced some of the activity back to a 2024 incident involving roughly $24.9 million that was siphoned from government-controlled Crypto accounts, including assets seized during the Bitfinex Hack.
Records show that the money was funneled through several accounts and wallets before being dispersed. Bitcoin.com reported that Daghita is allegedly the son of Dean Daghita, the chief executive of Command Services & Support, a Virginia-based contractor that received $4 million in October 2024 to assist with the custody and disposal of certain seized digital assets.
Once it was confirmed that the funds had been stolen, several people began questioning the contract’s legitimacy, despite no evidence that the company had participated in the theft. The investigation into Daghita, who also went by the hacker name “Lick,” intensified after Daghita posted a Telegram message revealing a wallet address holding roughly $23 million in cryptocurrency.
It was reported that Onchain managed to link the address to funds believed to originate from government-controlled wallets. Other analysts used another address to discover an additional 12,540 ether to the same transactions.
It was also announced by the FBI that they managed to seize a laptop filled with cash and several flash drives -Credit:@FBIDirectorKash/X
Shortly after the public disclosures in January, authorities began investigating in earnest. At the time, the U.S. Marshals Service confirmed that an investigation was underway but declined to comment further, citing the ongoing probe.
One outcome of the case has shown how federal authorities safeguard digital assets and how contractors interact with the sites. According to observers within the industry, the case could lead to tighter scrutiny and security as U.S. agencies continue managing billions of dollars in cryptocurrency.