A suspect accused of stealing $46 million in cryptocurrency from wallets tied to the U.S. Marshals Service has been arrested in an international operation. John Daghita, described as a U.S. government contractor, was apprehended in Saint Martin by the French Gendarmerie’s elite tactical unit in a joint operation with the FBI, according to FBI Director Kash Patel.
A suspect accused of stealing tens of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency from U.S. Marshals Service wallets has been arrested in an international operation. FBI Director Kash Patel stated that John Daghita, described as a U.S. government contractor, was arrested on the island of Saint Martin by the French Gendarmerie’s elite tactical unit in a joint operation.
Patel said Daghita allegedly stole more than $46 million in cryptocurrency from the federal agency responsible for managing seized assets. Authorities have not yet released additional details about the specific charges or the mechanism of the alleged theft.
The case appears connected to earlier allegations that funds were improperly moved from wallets associated with U.S. government crypto seizures. The U.S. Marshals Service is responsible for custody and liquidation of digital assets confiscated in federal criminal cases.
The alleged theft first drew attention in January after blockchain investigator ZachXBT published a series of posts examining suspicious wallet activity. According to the investigation, several wallets linked to an individual identified as “John” had moved tens of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency.
ZachXBT alleged that some funds could be traced to addresses associated with U.S. government seizure wallets. The investigator also suggested the individual might be John Daghita, but said additional verification was needed.
Following the public allegations, U.S. officials acknowledged they were examining the matter. ZachXBT later reported that the U.S. Marshals Service and officials connected to the White House’s digital asset advisory group were reviewing the claims.
Today’s arrest marks the first confirmation from law enforcement that authorities were pursuing a case linked to the suspected theft. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether any of the allegedly stolen funds have been recovered.
