A US government contractor accused of stealing more than $46 million in crypto from the US Marshals Service has been arrested in St. Martin following a joint international law enforcement operation, according to the FBI.
Conclusion
- John Daguita was arrested in St. Martin on charges of stealing more than $46 million in cryptocurrency from the United States Marshals Service.
- The arrest followed a joint operation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the French National Gendarmerie, including the elite group of the Intervention Group de la Gendarmerie Nationale.
- Kash Patel said the case underscores continued international cooperation to prosecute suspects accused of defrauding U.S. government agencies.
John Daguita was arrested in a joint FBI operation
In a statement released on social media, FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that the suspect, John Daguita, was arrested overnight by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, working alongside elite French law enforcement units.
The arrest took place on the island of St. Martin in the Caribbean.
According to Patel, the operation was carried out by the French National Gendarmerie, including its elite tactical force, the Groupe d’intervention de la Gendarmerie nationale, in coordination with the FBI.
Authorities allege that Dagita stole more than $46 million in cryptocurrency from the United States Marshals Service, a federal agency tasked with managing and securing seized assets, including digital currency seized in criminal investigations. The agency has historically overseen large crypto holdings acquired through high-profile cases, with funds typically held in government-controlled wallets until auctioned or otherwise disposed of.
Patel praised the international coordination in the detention and highlighted the assistance of the French Gendarmerie International Cooperation Group in Saint-Martin as well as the tactical support of the gendarmerie unit in Guadeloupe.
“The FBI will continue to work 24/7 with our international partners to track down, apprehend and prosecute those trying to defraud American taxpayers, no matter where they are hiding.”
Details of how the alleged theft occurred and when the funds were taken have not yet been made public. Authorities also did not indicate whether the stolen crypto was recovered.
Daguita is expected to face further court proceedings as authorities coordinate the next steps following his arrest in Saint-Martin.
