beincrypto.com
A major crypto scandal has emerged in the US, implicating John Daghita, known online as “Lick,” in the alleged theft of over $40 million from government seizure addresses.
The incident is tied to Daghita’s father, who heads CMDSS, a Virginia-based IT firm awarded a 2024 contract to assist the US Marshals Service (USMS) with managing and disposing of seized and forfeited crypto assets.
Alleged Insider Access Enables Massive Government Crypto Theft
The theft was reportedly facilitated by Daghita’s access to private crypto addresses through his father’s position at CMDSS.
While the exact mechanics remain unclear, blockchain investigator ZachXBT has reportedly traced at least $23 million to a single wallet. The wallet directly links to suspected thefts totaling more than $90 million, spanning 2024 and late 2025.
In response to the growing scandal, CMDSS deleted its X (Twitter) and LinkedIn accounts. They also scrubbed its website of employee and team information.
Update: The CMDSS company X account, website, & LinkedIn were all just deactivated pic.twitter.com/nvN6u5XMPq
— ZachXBT (@zachxbt) January 25, 2026
ZachXBT noted that Daghita remained active on Telegram, flaunting assets connected to the theft and even interacting with public addresses linked to the investigation.
1/ Meet the threat actor John (Lick), who was caught flexing $23M in a wallet address directly tied to $90M+ in suspected thefts from the US Government in 2024 and multiple other unidentified victims from Nov 2025 to Dec 2025. pic.twitter.com/SBAFU5hTnE
— ZachXBT (@zachxbt) January 23, 2026
Reportedly, Daghita quickly removed NFT usernames from his Telegram account and changed his screen name after the post, further complicating attempts to trace the stolen funds.
Government Contracts and Insider Risks Highlighted by the Daghita Case
CMDSS is not a minor player in government IT contracting. Over the years, the firm has maintained active contracts with the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice. This amplifies concerns over how much sensitive information or assets may have been accessed by Daghita before the scandal surfaced.
Analysts are calling for urgent audits and transparency to assess the full scope of potential losses.
Another massive crypto scandal is coming to light, this time involving a man named John Daghita.
— Jacob King (@JacobKinge) January 25, 2026
John’s father owns a company called CMDSS, based in Virginia. In October 2024, under the Biden administration, the U.S. government awarded the firm a major contract to assist the…
This incident highlights a recurring vulnerability in crypto custody arrangements, even within government-sanctioned frameworks.
Even with sophisticated oversight, human connections and insider access can pose significant risks.
Investigators continue to probe both the technical and organizational aspects of the alleged theft. Authorities are reportedly examining CMDSS’s operational protocols and the extent to which the firm’s government contracts may have inadvertently facilitated access to valuable crypto assets.
John Daghita’s alleged theft represents one of the most high-profile breaches of government-managed crypto assets in recent memory.