BVI national Jenifer O’Neal convicted in USVI bribery scandal
From left: Attorney Matos de Juan, Ray Martinez, Diana Martinez, Jenifer O’Neal, and one of O’Neal’s sons. Photo Credit: ERNICE GILBERT/V.I. CONSORTIUM.
A United States federal jury has convicted Jenifer O’Neal on all counts in a high-profile bribery and corruption case in the United States Virgin Islands, following a landmark trial in St Thomas, according to a report by the Virgin Islands Consortium.
O’Neal, the former Director of the USVI Office of Management and Budget, was found guilty alongside former Police Commissioner Ray Martinez after jurors returned unanimous verdicts on Thursday afternoon. The jury began deliberations earlier that morning and reached its decision within hours.
Prosecutors said O’Neal, a native of Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands, knowingly took part in a scheme that involved bribery, honest services wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy linked to contracts funded by federal relief money. The case centred on dealings with cooperating witness David Whitaker, whose business relationships with senior government officials formed the core of the government’s evidence.
According to prosecutors, O’Neal approved and advanced inflated invoices connected to government contracts while receiving personal benefits in return. The jury heard evidence that an invoice valued at $216,000 was inflated by about $70,000, with prosecutors arguing that O’Neal knew the figure was fraudulent. When informed that the extra funds were needed for Martinez’s restaurant, O’Neal responded “lol,” before instructing a subordinate to move the invoice forward, prosecutors said.
The court also heard evidence relating to a lease payment for O’Neal’s Java Grande coffee shop at Yacht Haven Grande. Prosecutors said O’Neal raised concerns about traceability and did not want the payment to be directly linked to her. A wire transfer later showed the payment was made by Whitaker, with funds prosecutors said originated from the inflated invoice. “Nothing about Jenifer O’Neal’s actions was accidental,” Assistant US Attorney Cherrisse Amaro told the court.
O’Neal faced charges including honest services wire fraud, bribery concerning programmes receiving federal funds, and money laundering conspiracy. She was convicted on every count.
Her defence argued that the government’s case relied too heavily on Whitaker, questioning his credibility and denying that O’Neal knowingly joined any conspiracy. Her attorney described Whitaker as operating by “lie, steal, repeat,” while maintaining that O’Neal’s actions were lawful and misunderstood.
In rebuttal, prosecutors said the evidence went beyond witness testimony and included text messages, recordings and wire transfers. “The government does not pick the criminal co-conspirators,” trial attorney Alexandre Dempsey said. “The criminals pick each other.”
Sentencing for O’Neal has been tentatively scheduled for June 2026. She was allowed to remain out of custody pending sentencing, with the final penalty to be determined under federal sentencing guidelines.
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If that was here bet she would of got off we don’t straighten out our people foreign countries do it for us. We doing our folks injustice just giving them attitudes of entitlement that gets stronger with each generation.
I definitely agree with this
Definitely. Look at all those who get $20,000 for fishing grants and did not have a boat, and then some got $20,000 for gardens and only had plant pots on their porch. AND NOTHING WAS DONE WITH THEM. Did not even had to pay back. Life is sooooo unfair.!!!
Telling yuh not one gone jail or pay back the government money
Very sorry, my thumbs down was by accident. Simply difficult to hit on my phone, but I am in full agreement with you.
Sounds like everyday bvi government business to me might of done it here and gotten through ND tried to pull it there. I don’t know just speculation.
Look at the little bit of money these people embarrassing themselves and families over.
imagine all that the actually got away with that were never unveiled. What they got caught for may have been the end of years of teefing in both jurisdictions.
I agree with all who said if it was in Tola she would have gotten away because nobody pays for crimes here. It always end up as a cold case and nothing comes out of the arrests and accusations.
Time always longer than twine
Seems like VI skills may not be transferable abroad.
“The government does not pick the criminal co-conspirators,” trial attorney Alexandre Dempsey said. “The criminals pick each other.”
I really don’t care either way but why do grown a** people, being well paid, high positions get themselves into dumb s**t like this? Why would you be discussing such matters via text messages? You are a FEDERAL EMPLOYEE, don’t you think these people are monitoring things especially when you start taking big trips and purchasing things that you won’t be able to afford on your normal salary? Like how f**king dumb can you be? Why are you texting and talking all this s**t on the phone? Meet at a bar/club with loud music, pay in cash! Whatsapp, texts, calls, office meetings and look at the small amounts of money involved?
are you talking from experience. rotflol
mn if u do the f**x one with the villas u will see tye same thing.
oh whay about s* who allegedly give that money to sharie mother all of them is a set of thieves
the criminals pick each other
what would be unveiled if the covers were to be removed from this the current representatives of Chocolate City?
The receipts might be shocking.
So sorry to hear that homegirl get herself caught up in this I don’t like what you did but I love you still.
Your home girl is an ordinary criminal..
My homegirl is human.
You ever see a criminal dog or cat?
Wish they could deal with BoA and all the underhanded dealings and shenanigans here! Public funds used for families and friends to pay off credit cards, trips abroad and car parts….
Yet not 1 word on these malfeasances….
I bet ya that headline word for word won’t make it on the other news site
Corruption in we blood mehson. We luv money
money and drugs
Speak for yourself. I am a BVIslander and I work blood, sweat and tears for mine. So don’t you dear lather me with your soap. And I rebuke those comments in the name of my risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; over my life, my generation, and generations of all other BVIslander who persevere with righteousness and integrity. Stand tall my people. Some may fall by the wayside like EVERYWHERE else, but I encourage you to take the HIGH ROAD always.
KARMA WILL ALWAYS CATCH UP WITH YOU , NO APOLOGIES TO ANY FAMILY, FRIEND OR FOE , HOPD VTHEY NAIL YOUR ASZ TO THE CROSS ■ UNCLE ANDY RODEO GAMES , SHOULD OF MADE YOU AWARE THAT NO ONE IS UNTOUCHABLE / AND LET THIS BE LESSON TO ALL OF US , TO KEEP OUR HANDS CLEAN • SHE HAS DISGRACED HERSELF , HER FAMILY’S NAME AND HER COUNTRY , NO MONEH IS WORT THAT •
The minister got she school in the money building
Leave white collar crimes for the white man.Aya ain good at it.
Trying to live above her means is her downfall. She always thought she was bigger and better than the next VG person. Now look at her dumb behind. She outsmarted herself, but she will look great in that orange jumpsuit.
“criminals pick each other” is a great quote. Anyway, O’Neal would have got a promotion of she was still in the BVI. And let me put this all in perspective. Her cousin Ralph, who as we know, reached the highest level of office here was caught with what his then colleague Omar Hodge referred to as “his hand in the cookie jar”. Was Ralph censured or asked to resign. Nope. A few years later he received an MBE. Less ass UK reward our misbehaviour. COI was a joke.
WHAT YOU SAID IS GONNA EXPOSE SOME OF THESE HYPOCRITES WE GOT HERE WHO USING THE GOVERNOR,THE COMMISSIONER AND THE UK A SCAPEGOATS ,ESPECIALLY THE WIGGED ONE AKA JUDGE WIGGIE , WHO IS SPEWING OUT PYMURD RACIST NARRATIVES ON A DAILY BASIS TO CREATE DISTRACTION /DRAMA ETC AND THEN THERE THERE’S THESE 3 FAKE HOLY BOYZ FROM CANE GARDEN BAY WHO’S USING THE BIBLE AS A FRONT HAS NOW SINGING THE SAME CHORUS , SND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TRUTH OR THE GOSPEL AND E-LIEONERD ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT HISTORY OF CENTURIES AGO , BUT GETS SUDDEN SPELLS OF AMNESIA WHEN IT COMES TO WHY AND WHO CREATED THE ” ISLAND PEOPLE ” SAGA ON OUR OWN AFRICAN ANCESTORS DECENDANTS , THAT IS SHAMEFUL , APALLING ) WHAT BIS EVEN FUNNIEF IS THIX JOKER EDU -N -HE – CAR KNOWS NOTHING OF WHAT HE’S YAPPING ABOUT SINGING THE CHORUS JUST TO BE IN THINGS AND NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT IS REALLY GOIN ON IN THE COUNTRY / WHO ARE THESE HYPOCRITES •¿• TRYING TO FOOL, BESIDES THEMSELVES .?
Romans 3:23- ‘for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.’
I guess those who are gloating over this woman’s downfall and are the first to cast unkind stones do not live in glass houses.
Carry on folks. The world is round.
oh shut up we in the bvi like to sweep too much thing under the rug and turn a blind side when is your family friend or foe. It’s high time things be out in the damn open. Sick of ayo in this place. and not all who say lord going enter the kingdom. ayo always coating scriptures when wrong is involved.
ghul wha school u went to cant be bvi high what u “coating” with bread crumbs—- u too funny
This is expected, Tortola been grooming criminals to think they can go elsewhere and get away with the same nonsense, or better yet, some know they can’t go anywhere else and get away with it so they stay in positions to rape whatever/whoever financially indefinitely, sucking the country dry for as much as they can while leaving us stagnant on everything. Yuh see this thing call family?, it’s the reason why only few will ever be able to progress while producing shit because family looking out but that process of thinking mucking everything up..I telling you..is always who you know over performance in this place and it too small for that cause the “who you know” ppl that be getting hand out position does be dumb and don’t even care to work self
I understand that she isn’t well liked in the USVI. That helped in her conviction. Martinez needed a separate trial away from her. Not saying he would beat his case.