{"id":"john-daghita","title":"John Daghita","content":"**John Daghita**, also known by the online alias \"**Lick**,\" is a 25-year-old American national who was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in March 2026 in connection with the alleged theft of [cryptocurrency](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) valued at around 46 million. [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-2RUVZjwlGutvEymn) The funds were allegedly stolen from digital wallets containing assets previously seized by the United States government and held in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS). [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-9g65QsjT8HdQ7hXS) Daghita is the son of Dean Daghita, the President and CEO of Command Services & Support (CMDSS), a private government contractor hired to manage the seized assets, a connection authorities allege was central to the theft. [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-FunsdOKoqF2Nerq8)​\n\n## Alleged Cryptocurrency Theft\n\nJohn Daghita is accused of orchestrating the theft of a large cache of cryptocurrency that was under the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. The assets had been seized by the U.S. government in connection with the 2016 [Bitfinex](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitfinex) hack. [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-FunsdOKoqF2Nerq8) [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-9g65QsjT8HdQ7hXS)​\n\n### Value of Stolen Assets\n\nThere are conflicting reports from media outlets and official announcements regarding the total value of the stolen cryptocurrency.\n\n* Some sources, including *The Block*, *Panews Lab*, and *Crypto.news*, report the figure as over **$40 million**. [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-9g65QsjT8HdQ7hXS) [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-FunsdOKoqF2Nerq8) [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-2RUVZjwlGutvEymn)\n* Other sources, including *Forbes*, *CBS News*, and initial FBI announcements, cite a higher figure of approximately **$46 million**. [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-2RUVZjwlGutvEymn) [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-FunsdOKoqF2Nerq8)\n\n### Method of Theft\n\nThe theft was allegedly accomplished by exploiting his father's role as the President and CEO of Command Services & Support (CMDSS), a firm contracted by the U.S. Marshals Service. [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-9g65QsjT8HdQ7hXS) CMDSS was hired to provide custody and management solutions for seized [digital assets](https://iq.wiki/wiki/digital-assets), particularly for more obscure \"Class 2–4\" tokens that required specialized handling. [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-FunsdOKoqF2Nerq8) Daghita is accused of leveraging this privileged access or information to gain control of the secure wallets and transfer funds to wallets under his personal control. [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-2RUVZjwlGutvEymn)​\n\nOn-chain data indicates that multiple illicit transactions occurred. In March 2024, a wallet linked to Daghita reportedly received 20 million was drained from government-controlled wallets. While the majority of these funds were returned within 24 hours, about $700,000, which had been sent through instant exchanges, was not recovered. [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-9g65QsjT8HdQ7hXS)​\n\n## Investigation and Public Exposure\n\nThe case was brought to public and law enforcement attention primarily through the work of independent on-chain investigator [ZachXBT](https://iq.wiki/wiki/zachxbt). [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-9g65QsjT8HdQ7hXS)\n\n### ZachXBT's Investigation\n\nOn January 23, 2026, [ZachXBT](https://iq.wiki/wiki/zachxbt) published a detailed report claiming to have identified John Daghita as the individual behind the theft. [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-9g65QsjT8HdQ7hXS) The investigation connected Daghita to over $90 million in suspected illicit crypto activities. [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-FunsdOKoqF2Nerq8) The key breakthrough came from analyzing Daghita's online behavior in a Telegram group chat. [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-9g65QsjT8HdQ7hXS)\n\n### The \"Band-for-Band\" Dispute\n\nThe critical evidence emerged during a public argument in a Telegram group, often referred to as a \"band-for-band\" dispute, where participants boast about their wealth. To prove he controlled more funds than another user, the user \"Lick,\" alleged to be Daghita, took several actions that were recorded and later analyzed by [ZachXBT](https://iq.wiki/wiki/zachxbt). [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-FunsdOKoqF2Nerq8)\n\nDuring the dispute, \"Lick\" allegedly:\n\n1. **Screen-shared his Exodus crypto wallet**, which revealed a [Tron](https://iq.wiki/wiki/tron) (TRX) address holding approximately $2.3 million. [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-FunsdOKoqF2Nerq8)\n2. **Executed a live transaction**, showing a public transfer of approximately $6.7 million in Ether (ETH) to one of his addresses. [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-9g65QsjT8HdQ7hXS)\n3. **Consolidated funds**, gathering approximately $23 million into a single wallet during the course of the argument. \\[\\[crypto.news/who-is-john-daghita-inside-the-us-governments-40m-crypto-theft-case/]]\n\n[ZachXBT](https://iq.wiki/wiki/zachxbt) then traced the transaction history of the wallet addresses revealed in the screen share. The on-chain analysis directly connected the consolidated funds back to a known U.S. government wallet holding assets seized from the [Bitfinex](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitfinex) case, thereby linking the \"Lick\" persona, and by extension Daghita, to the missing government funds. [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-9g65QsjT8HdQ7hXS) [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-FunsdOKoqF2Nerq8)\n\n### Daghita's Reaction\n\nFollowing the public exposure by [ZachXBT](https://iq.wiki/wiki/zachxbt) in January 2026, Daghita allegedly reacted defiantly. He reportedly mocked the investigator on his personal Telegram channel and is accused of sending a \"dust attack\"—a transaction with a minuscule amount of cryptocurrency—to [ZachXBT](https://iq.wiki/wiki/zachxbt)'s publicly known wallet address using a portion of the stolen funds as a taunt. [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-2RUVZjwlGutvEymn)\n\n## Arrest\n\nJohn Daghita was arrested on or around March 4, 2026. The FBI Washington Field Office (FBIWFO) announced the arrest on March 5, 2026, stating it was conducted \"along with our international partners.\" [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-FunsdOKoqF2Nerq8) [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-2RUVZjwlGutvEymn)​\n\nA post on X (formerly Twitter) from the FBI Washington Field Office stated: *\"Yesterday, #FBIWFO, along with our international partners, arrested a man for allegedly stealing millions of dollars in virtual currency from a government wallet.\"* [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-FunsdOKoqF2Nerq8) FBI Director Kash Patel's account also stated: *\"Yesterday, the FBI, alongside our international partners, arrested John Daghita for his alleged theft of over $40 million in cryptocurrency from the U.S. Government.\"* [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-FunsdOKoqF2Nerq8)​\n\nAs of March 6, 2026, Daghita is in federal custody, and formal charges are expected. The case has not yet been adjudicated in court. [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-9g65QsjT8HdQ7hXS)​","summary":"John Daghita, also known as 'Lick,' is an American accused of stealing over $40 million in crypto from U.S. government wallets by leveraging his father's role a...","images":[{"id":"QmUpXEscEreAKTMu3BboMBvt76kxRfFzpeSNrg7seGVUaY","type":"image/jpeg, image/png"}],"categories":[{"id":"people","title":"People in crypto"}],"tags":[{"id":"PeopleInDeFi"}],"media":[{"id":"Qmbd5kW4owLkzJEkzyiMnj4xdCLi4q9bhf9UZjMdGWv7dc","size":null,"name":null,"type":"GALLERY","source":"IPFS_IMG"},{"id":"QmPat2mRQ3nbg95MvW4bcBhtUng4ypAH6Wj9KiKJkUpRqV","size":null,"name":null,"type":"GALLERY","source":"IPFS_IMG"},{"id":"QmPZsnvB8K6RKcnH7xP26pmQhR8w1jvA5KXUKHd89gD6q9","size":null,"name":null,"type":"GALLERY","source":"IPFS_IMG"}],"metadata":[{"id":"references","value":"[{\"id\":\"2RUVZjwlGutvEymn\",\"url\":\"https://www.panewslab.com/en/articles/019cbe99-295b-7256-9788-8fb5ae08167e\",\"description\":\"Wiki entry analysis of John Daghita\",\"timestamp\":1772804079858},{\"id\":\"9g65QsjT8HdQ7hXS\",\"url\":\"https://www.theblock.co/post/386945/individual-behind-40-million-government-wallet-theft-is-son-of-seized-crypto-contractor-executive-zachxbt\",\"description\":\"Report on John Daghita's connection to government contractor theft\",\"timestamp\":1772804079858},{\"id\":\"FunsdOKoqF2Nerq8\",\"url\":\"https://crypto.news/who-is-john-daghita-inside-the-us-governments-40m-crypto-theft-case/\",\"description\":\"Profile of John Daghita and the $40M crypto theft case\",\"timestamp\":1772804079858}]"},{"id":"previous_cid","value":"\"https://ipfs.everipedia.org/ipfs/QmSAbrm3BSxBMzBxa2sLDgDKfiHsGNquGKrB8mN88khynf\""},{"id":"commit-message","value":"\"Updated page content and category title\""},{"id":"previous_cid","value":"QmSAbrm3BSxBMzBxa2sLDgDKfiHsGNquGKrB8mN88khynf"}],"events":[{"date":"2024-03-01","title":"Alleged Crypto Theft","type":"DEFAULT","description":"A wallet linked to Daghita received $24.9 million in cryptocurrency from a U.S. government address associated with assets seized from the 2016 Bitfinex hack.","link":null,"multiDateStart":null,"multiDateEnd":null,"continent":null,"country":null,"id":"f544f82c-87e8-494c-9ad3-7e0ab908280d"},{"date":"2026-01-01","title":"Publicly Exposed by ZachXBT","type":"DEFAULT","description":"On-chain investigator ZachXBT published a report publicly identifying John Daghita as the individual allegedly behind the theft of over $40 million in government-seized crypto.","link":"https://www.theblock.co/post/386945/individual-behind-40-million-government-wallet-theft-is-son-of-seized-crypto-contractor-executive-zachxbt","multiDateStart":null,"multiDateEnd":null,"continent":null,"country":null,"id":"a7e4cb58-30b6-4c7a-af1b-6c1fcc108f4e"},{"date":"2026-03-01","title":"Arrested by the FBI","type":"DEFAULT","description":"The FBI's Washington Field Office announced the arrest of Daghita in collaboration with international partners for his alleged theft of virtual currency from a government wallet.","link":"https://www.cbsnews.com/news/federal-contractor-who-allegedly-stole-46-million-in-crypto-arrested-in-caribbean-fbi-says/","multiDateStart":null,"multiDateEnd":null,"continent":null,"country":null,"id":"00f9283b-e8e0-4a79-863f-7d328d101ea8"}],"user":{"id":"0x8af7a19a26d8fbc48defb35aefb15ec8c407f889"},"author":{"id":"0x8AF7a19a26d8FBC48dEfB35AEfb15Ec8c407f889"},"operator":{"id":"0x1E23b34d3106F0C1c74D17f2Cd0F65cdb039b138"},"language":"en","version":1,"linkedWikis":{"blockchains":[],"founders":[],"speakers":[]},"recentActivity":"{\"items\":[{\"id\":\"90dc79f8-1e01-4a0e-85dd-2f53d17569f9\",\"title\":\"John Daghita\",\"description\":\"John Daghita, also known as 'Lick,' is an American accused of stealing over $40 million in crypto from U.S. government wallets by leveraging his father's role a...\",\"timestamp\":\"2026-03-06T13:56:10.227Z\",\"category\":\"People in crypto\",\"status\":{\"icon\":\"RiGlobalLine\",\"label\":\"Wiki Updated\",\"iconClassName\":\"text-green-500\"},\"user\":{\"name\":\"0x8AF7a19a26d8FBC48dEfB35AEfb15Ec8c407f889\",\"address\":\"0x1E23b34d3106F0C1c74D17f2Cd0F65cdb039b138\"},\"button\":{\"label\":\"View Summary\",\"icon\":\"RiFileTextLine\"},\"summarySections\":[{\"title\":\"Title\",\"subtitle\":\"The title of the wiki was updated.\",\"variant\":\"modified\",\"changeCount\":1,\"changes\":[\"Changed title from \\\"people\\\" to \\\"People in crypto\\\"\"]},{\"title\":\"Summary\",\"subtitle\":\"The summary text was truncated.\",\"variant\":\"modified\",\"changeCount\":1,\"changes\":[\"The summary was shortened from \\\"John Daghita, also known as 'Lick,' is an American accused of stealing over $40 million in crypto from U.S. government wallets by leveraging his father's role at a contractor. The theft was exposed by investigator ZachXBT, leading to his 2026 arrest.\\\" to \\\"John Daghita, also known as 'Lick,' is an American accused of stealing over $40 million in crypto from U.S. government wallets by leveraging his father's role a...\\\"\"]},{\"title\":\"Introduction\",\"subtitle\":\"Added the subject's age to the introductory paragraph.\",\"variant\":\"modified\",\"changeCount\":1,\"changes\":[\"Added the age 'a 25-year-old' to the description of John Daghita. [[1]](#cite-id-2RUVZjwlGutvEymn)\"]},{\"title\":\"Events\",\"subtitle\":\"The date format for several events was updated for more precision.\",\"variant\":\"modified\",\"changeCount\":3,\"changes\":[\"Changed event date from \\\"2024-03\\\" to \\\"2024-03-01\\\"\",\"Changed event date from \\\"2026-01\\\" to \\\"2026-01-01\\\"\",\"Changed event date from \\\"2026-03\\\" to \\\"2026-03-01\\\"\"]},{\"title\":\"Metadata\",\"subtitle\":\"A 'wiki-score' metadata field was added.\",\"variant\":\"added\",\"changeCount\":1,\"changes\":[\"Added metadata field 'wiki-score' with value '63'.\"]},{\"title\":\"References\",\"subtitle\":\"A reference link was removed.\",\"variant\":\"removed\",\"changeCount\":1,\"changes\":[\"Removed reference with URL: https://twitter.com/FBIWFO/status/2029678454694642051\"]}]}]}"}