The former Chairperson of the Casino Control Commission has reached a plea deal with the United States Attorney for the Virgin Islands. Violet Anne Golden pled guilty to misappropriating $295,503 of Casino Commission funds for personal use. Ms. Golden pled guilty to theft from a program receiving federal funds and the willful failure to file a tax return.

After formally entering the guilty plea in U. S. District Court, Ms. Golden was remanded to jail pending her sentencing scheduled for May 14, 2020.

After being convicted on all 44 criminal charges to include embezzlement, conspiracy, and violations of the territory’s anti-racketeering statute, CICO, among other charges, the three former executives of the Schneider Hospital were sentenced pending appeal of their convictions. Former CEO Rodney Miller was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Former COO and legal counsel Amos Carty, Jr., and former CFO Peter Najawicz were sentenced to 1 year each. Mr. Miller was remanded into custody to begin serving, while Mr. Carty and Mr. Najawicz were granted appeal bonds pending the outcome of their appeals. The defendants were also required to forfeit property frozen by the court to include homes, vehicles, and bank accounts to be applied towards the $2 million in restitution order by the judge.

After a six-week retrial, three former executives of the Schneider Hospital were convicted on all 44 criminal charges to include embezzlement, conspiracy, and violations of the territory’s anti-racketeering statute, CICO, among other charges. The three, former CEO Rodney Miller, former COO and legal counsel Amos Carty, Jr., and former CFO Peter Najawicz are scheduled to be sentenced on December 13, 2019.

The United States Attorney announced that a Grand Jury indicted a former Chairperson of the Virgin Islands Casino Control Commission and a contractor of the Commission with various Federal and local offenses, including theft from programs receiving Federal Government funds, wire fraud, and conversion of Government Funds. To see the United States Attorney’s Press Release and Indictment, click here.

The Office of the Virgin Islands Inspector General investigated the allegation that an employee of the Virgin Islands Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) had prepared and issued several vehicle registrations without those vehicles having been inspected by an authorized Motor Vehicle Inspector, in violation of established rules and procedures. The investigation has confirmed that in fact the vehicles were registered without the proper inspection as required by the BMV rules and regulations. We also found that there was the unauthorized use of the inspector’s stamp for the purpose of not only the issuance of new registrations, but in the clearance of vehicles leaving the territory. As a result, we have concluded that the Office Manager: (i) violated the BMV’s operating procedures by processing the vehicle registrations without the proper inspections; (ii) manipulated the BMV’s computer system to show that the vehicles were properly inspected when they were not; and, (iii) by the repeated violations of the policies and procedures displayed a pattern of disregard to the BMV’s operating procedures. To view the report, click here.

The United States Attorney announced that a Federal jury has convicted a former Virgin Islands senator of two counts of wire fraud and one count of theft of federal program funds from the Virgin Islands Legislature. To see the United States Attorney’s Press Release, click here.

The Office of the Virgin Islands Inspector General investigated an allegation that a generator located at the Ivannna Eudora Kean High School was moved to the home of the Commissioner of Education. The investigation has confirmed that in fact the generator was moved to the Commissioner’s home shortly after the passage of Hurricane Irma. It has since been relocated to a storage area at the Adelita Canryn Junior High School. The Commissioner stated it was moved for security reasons and that her home was used at times as a base of operations and thus felt that her utilization of the generator was justified. We have concluded that: (i) the generator should not have been moved to the Commissioner’s home, and more importantly it should not have been connected; (ii) the administration of Ivanna Eurdora Kean High School should have been notified of the move; and, (iii) it probably could have been used in some other capacity for the Department of Education or the Government. To view the report, click here.

The final defendant in the property tax auction scheme settled to a civil claim of $500,000 to the VI Government. To see the Press Release from the Attorney General, click here.

Three of the four defendants in the property tax auction scheme were sentenced. To see the Press Release from the Attorney General, click here.

A third defendant charged in the property tax auction scheme has pled guilty. Two other defendants had previously pled guilty to their involvement in the scheme. To see the Press Release from the Attorney General, click here.