The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced that John Daghita, who is alleged to be linked to over $46 million in crypto assets stolen from the US Marshals Service (USMS), was arrested yesterday on Saint Martin Island.
The suspect is reportedly the son of CMDSS CEO Dean Daghita and also a contractor working for the U.S. government.
FBI Director Kash Patel announced that the operation was carried out jointly by the FBI and the elite tactical unit of the French Gendarmerie. Patel thanked the French National Gendarmerie’s International Cooperation and Serious Crimes Unit in Saint Martin and the GIGN unit in Guadeloupe for their contributions to coordinating the operation.
Patel stated, “We will continue to work 24/7 with our international partners to find and bring to justice those who try to defraud American taxpayers, no matter where they are hiding.”
ZachXBT, a blockchain researcher who played a significant role in bringing the investigation to public attention, stated that Daghita’s arrest was a direct result of his research conducted at the end of January 2026. According to ZachXBT, after his identity was revealed, Daghita repeatedly provoked him on his Telegram channel.
According to the investigation, Daghita allegedly demonstrated the ability to transfer millions of dollars in real-time during an argument in a private Telegram chat. Subsequent onchain analysis revealed that the wallets used in these transactions were linked to known addresses holding government-seized assets.
According to data shared by ZachXBT, a wallet allegedly controlled by Daghita contained approximately 12,540 ETH. At current prices, the value of these assets is approximately $36 million.
Blockchain data also shows that approximately $20 million was withdrawn from USMS-linked wallets in October 2024, with most of these funds repatriated within a day, but around $700,000 channeled through instant cryptocurrency exchange platforms could not be recovered. Transactions examined as part of the investigation suggest that the total amount of suspected theft could exceed $90 million by late 2025, including movements identified during that period.
*This is not investment advice.
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