U.S. contractor who allegedly stole $46 million of crypto arrested, FBI says

John Daghita was arrested on the island of Saint Martin, FBI Director Kash Patel said. Crime Federal contractor who allegedly stole $46 million in crypto arrested in Caribbean, FBI says By Cara Tabachnick Cara Tabachnick News Editor Cara Tabachnick is a news editor at CBSNews.com. Cara began her career on the crime beat at Newsday. She has written for Marie Claire, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. She reports on justice and human rights issues. Contact her at [email protected] Read Full Bio Cara Tabachnick March 5, 2026 / 4:12 PM EST / CBS News Add CBS News on Google A federal contractor accused of stealing $46 million in cryptocurrency was arrested in the Caribbean, the FBI announced.John Daghita was nabbed Wednesday night by law enforcement on the island of Saint Martin, FBI Director Kash Patel said on social media. Photos posted online by the FBI and Saint Martin police show Daghita, who allegedly stole the crypto from the U.S Marshals Service, being taken away in handcuffs with a swimming pool seen in the background. A separate photo posted by law enforcement shows a suitcase full of cash. The photos show the suitcase surrounded by computer flash drives and a passport. Patel said that the operation was conducted in cooperation with 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. Last night, John Daghita – a U.S. government contractor who allegedly stole more than $46 million in cryptocurrency from the U.S Marshals Service – was arrested on the island of Saint Martin by the French Gendarmerie’s premier elite tactical unit in a joint operation with the… pic.twitter.com/3ttochgbjk— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) March 5, 2026 It is unclear how Daghita accessed digital currency. "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," Patel said. In: Federal Bureau of Investigation Cryptocurrency © 2026 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.