In a significant federal corruption case, former US Virgin Islands Office of Management and Budget Director Jenifer O’Neal has been found guilty on all charges by a US federal jury in St. Thomas. The verdict concludes a high-profile trial that exposed systemic corruption involving misappropriation of federal relief money.
O’Neal, originally from Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands, was convicted alongside former Police Commissioner Ray Martinez after jurors delivered unanimous decisions. The prosecution demonstrated that O’Neal participated in an elaborate scheme involving bribery, honest services wire fraud, and money laundering conspiracy related to government contracts funded by federal relief allocations.
The case centered on evidence presented against O’Neal and her dealings with cooperating witness David Whitaker, whose business relationships with senior officials formed the foundation of the government’s argument. Prosecutors revealed that O’Neal authorized inflated invoices for government contracts while receiving personal benefits in return.
Evidence presented to the jury showed one invoice originally valued at $216,000 was artificially increased by approximately $70,000. Prosecutors established that O’Neal knowingly approved the fraudulent amount after learning the additional funds were intended for Martinez’s restaurant venture, responding with “lol” before instructing a subordinate to process the payment.
Further testimony revealed O’Neal arranged lease payments for her coffee shop through Whitaker, expressing concerns about traceability and requesting the payment not be directly linked to her. Wire transfer records confirmed Whitaker made the payment using funds originating from the inflated government invoice.
Assistant US Attorney Cherrisse Amaro emphasized to the court that “Nothing about Jenifer O’Neal’s actions was accidental,” as the defendant faced convictions on every count including honest services wire fraud, federal funds bribery, and money laundering conspiracy.
O’Neal’s defense team challenged the credibility of Whitaker, describing his operating method as “lie, steal, repeat,” and maintaining their client’s actions were lawful and misinterpreted. Prosecutors countered that evidence extended beyond witness testimony to include text messages, recordings, and financial documents, with trial attorney Alexandre Dempsey noting, “The government does not pick the criminal co-conspirators. The criminals pick each other.”
Sentencing has been preliminarily scheduled for June 2026, with O’Neal permitted to remain out of custody pending final determination of penalties under federal sentencing guidelines.