The Embarrassing Consequences of USVI Corruption

Over the weekend, Bryan called for the resignations of V.I. Police Commissioner Ray Martinez and OMB director Jenifer O’Neal after both received target letters from federal prosecutors.

Disclosure: In March 2019, Governor Albert Bryan hired me to work on his communications team. From March to September of that year, I organized or partially wrote drafts for some of the press conferences and press releases referenced in this article. My salary was $50,000.

Nepotism, cronyism, embezzlement, kickbacks, bid rigging. All are different versions of corruption. It’s possible the U.S. Virgin Islands is a hotbed for these types of white-collar crimes. A federal probe may soon shed light on how the territory handles business behind closed doors. 

In 2019, the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Justice announced it would reopen its Civil Rights Division. At that same press conference, Governor Albert Bryan, alongside the attorney general he nominated, made another announcement: the reopening of the department’s White Collar Crime and Corruption Unit.

Public Outcry

Shortly after the start of his term, Government House found itself overwhelmed with calls for a solution to corruption in the territory. Calls from the public appeared on social media, on radio talk shows, and in editorials submitted to the Virgin Islands Daily News. 

At the time, Bryan did several things to claw back at public outcry. First, there was the press conference, where he acknowledged that the Civil Rights Division and the unit that once pursued white-collar crime were defunded in a previous administration. 

Next, Bryan punted the issue to a target, hoping to force their hand and change the narrative. After signing and approving the fiscal year 2020 budget, he lashed out at the Virgin Islands Legislature for removing $1.7 million to fund the White Collar Crime and Corruption Unit. One senator said that the executive branch didn’t need additional funding, and nothing was stopping the governor from simply hiring more attorneys. 

Finally, when senators withdrew the funding from the budget, the USVI public slammed the decision, and Bryan's messaging trap for the chamber snapped shut. 

Federal Probe

Now in his second term, with a handful of his attorney generals out of a job, Bryan’s reformed Department of Justice has produced little fruit, and the biggest fish it managed to fry is a now-deceased Jeffrey Epstein. 

With the territory’s justice system in the midst of leadership shuffles, federal prosecutors have issued indictments and target letters to top officials in the Bryan-Roach administration. 

The Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General said they uncovered a conspiracy to defraud the people of the Virgin Islands.

On Thursday, U.S. Attorney Delia L. Smith announced the arrest of Department of Education Director of Maintenance, Davidson Charlemagne. The indictment charged Charlemagne and his wife, Sasha Charlemagne with government program fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering conspiracy.

Both were arrested after a federal grand jury returned an indictment and issued a warrant for their arrest in St. Croix. Smith also charged former Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority Chief Operating Officer Daren Richardson with criminal conflict of interest and making materially false statements.  

“As alleged, these defendants exploited hurricane recovery efforts in order to develop and carry out a $4 million scheme to defraud taxpayers,” Smith said. “The indictment levied against these individuals sends a clear message that the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners followed the money and will continue to hold public officials seeking to profit from natural disasters accountable for their crimes.”

Over the weekend, Bryan called for the resignations of V.I. Police Commissioner Ray Martinez and Office of Management and Budget Director Jenifer O’Neal after both received target letters from federal prosecutors.

Follow the Money

Bryan hasn’t explained why he fired Attorney General Denise George shortly after winning his election. In his first days as governor, he drafted legislation to shield the attorney general’s office from the influence of future governors. His proposal would allow an attorney general to serve a six-year term.

Smith said prosecutors followed the money. Government House launched a transparency website in 2019, opening the territory’s finances to the public for the first time. As the cases make their way through the courts, prosecutors may reveal transparency.vi.gov as part of their evidence.