How a Government Contractor Turned $46M Crypto Into a Tropical Getaway

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Key Highlights

  • John Daghita, a man who might have taken “office perks” a tad too far, found himself in the hands of the FBI for an alleged misadventure involving $46 million in government cryptocurrency.
  • The treasure trove reportedly included ill-gotten gains from 2024 government seizures, including the infamous Bitfinex escapade, hopping from wallet to wallet like a mischievous cat avoiding the vet.
  • Daghita, son of the illustrious CMDSS CEO Dean Daghita, seemed to have learned the family knack for handling seized crypto-though perhaps with an extra dash of creativity.

On the sunny shores of Saint Martin, John “Lick” Daghita was apprehended, accused of relieving the U.S. Marshals Service wallets of their digital fortune-$46 million, give or take a few satoshis. The FBI, presumably enjoying the irony, confirmed the capture.

According to officials, the ill-gotten gains had meandered through multiple government seizure accounts, including a handful rescued from the 2024 Bitfinex hack. FBI Director Kash Patel seemed both amused and exasperated as he shared the news.

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 Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) March 5, 2026

“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,” he scribbled on X, leaving one to ponder whether he preferred caviar or crypto for breakfast.

How the incident happened

The tale first reached the public ears in January 2025, when blockchain detective ZachXBT unveiled a meticulous report, displaying wallet addresses purportedly fattened by government funds. Initial whispers suggested $40 million, later upgraded to a staggering $46 million-a minor rounding error, one supposes, in such grand larceny.

1/ Meet the threat actor John (Lick), who was caught flexing $23M in a wallet address directly tied to $90M+ in suspected thefts from the US Government in 2024 and multiple other unidentified victims from Nov 2025 to Dec 2025.

– ZachXBT (@zachxbt) January 23, 2026

Investigators traced a substantial portion of the booty back to 2024, uncovering around $24.9 million spirited away from government-controlled wallets, including Bitfinex’s ill-starred assets. The crypto evidently enjoyed a journey of its own, hopping across wallets and platforms, as if in search of the perfect island retreat, before finally being divided up.

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2026-03-05 19:32