Federal contractor’s son busted after flaunting $46M crypto he allegedly stole from US government

The son of a federal contractor has been arrested after allegedly bragging online about a $46 million crypto heist that he had performed on the United States Marshals Service, a move that ultimately led to his downfall.

John “Lick” Daghita was arrested on the Caribbean island of Saint Martin, at that time carrying with a metal briefcase packed iwth hundred-dollar bills, along with multiple hard drives and crypto security keys believe to be tied to the stolen funds.

During the time of his arrest, Daghita was found traveling with a metal briefcase packed with hundred-dollar bills, along with multiple hard drives and crypto security keys believed to be tied to the stolen funds.

The alleged theft first surfaced in January after blockchain investigator ZachXBT published the group chat exchanges and on-chain data showing how Daghita was bragging online to other hackers about siphoning funds from U.S. government-controlled wallets.

In the chats, Daghita allegedly attempted to prove his claims by moving roughly $23 million in crypto—mostly Ethereum—between wallets, demonstrating that he controlled the assets.

Rather than laying low, the suspect reportedly taunted rivals and critics in online conversations, openly flaunting his access to what he claimed were government-controlled funds.

Crypto's Biggest Enemy Might Come From The Inside

ZachXBT’s started investigating the accounts and discovered that the stolen funds was connected to the cryptocurrency seized by U.S authorities in 2024 in connection with the massive 2016 Bitfinex Hack.

The discovery suggested the funds may have been taken from crypto assets held in custody by the U.S. government, raising concerns about insider access to sensitive digital holdings.

Instead of backing down after the allegations surfaced, Daghita doubled down on his actions, even attempting to drag ZachXBT down the mud by transferring a small fraction of the stolen fund-a tactic known as dusting.

Shortly after the revelations became public, the United States Marshals Service confirmed it had opened an investigation into the matter.

Authorities believe Daghita may have had privileged or indirect access to government systems tied to digital asset custody.

The investigation also revealed that John's father, Dean Daghita, serves as president of CMDSS, a firm that says it provides “critical services” to federal agencies including the Department of Justice and the Department of Defense.

Reports have also suggested that the younger Daghita may himself have worked as a subcontractor connected to government operations.

If confirmed, the case could highlight a growing concern in the crypto sector: the greatest risk may not come from blockchain vulnerabilities, but from insider access and weak operational controls.

As governments and institutions increasingly manage seized cryptocurrencies and digital asset reserves, experts warn that custody procedures, access rights, and internal oversight are becoming just as critical as the security of the blockchain itself.

Following news of the arrest, ZachXBT posted a brief message on X celebrating the outcome of the months-long investigation.

“Thanks for the last laugh, John.”