A purported US government contractor accused of stealing more than $46 million in crypto from the US Marshals Service was busted on the island of Saint Martin in a coordinated operation between the FBI and the French Gendarmerie, FBI Director Kash Patel announced.
John Daghita’s since-deleted LinkedIn page identifies him as working for Virginia-based Command Services & Support (CMDSS), a technology firm led by his father, Dean Daghita, which held contracts with the Marshals Service for managing seized digital assets.
The younger Daghita was reportedly able to access private crypto addresses — and millions of dollars in funds — through his father’s position at the company, though the technical details behind how he obtained access remains unclear.
“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,” Patel wrote on X announcing the arrest.
“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.”
According to Bitcoin Magazine, the case comes amid increased scrutiny of the crypto holdings of the US Marshals Service — which is estimated to be in the vicinity of 200,000 bitcoin, worth some $13.5 billion.