Former Virgin Islands Senator Pleads Guilty to Financial Crimes

St. Thomas, USVI - A Significant Development in Financial Crime Prosecution

In a major breakthrough in financial crime prosecution, former Virgin Islands Senator Alvin Williams, Jr., has pleaded guilty to operating and participating in a criminal enterprise that engaged in illegal activities including bribery, mail fraud, and wire fraud.

The Investigation

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Public Corruption Task Force, which comprises:

FBI
US Marshals Service
IRS-CI
US Department of Education Inspector General
DEA
Virgin Islands Office of the Inspector General
VIPD

The Charges and Plea Agreement

Williams, 34, and two co-defendants were charged by grand jury indictment on November 8, 2012. Under the plea agreement, Williams admitted to:

Bribing a public official
Soliciting and receiving bribes from numerous construction project developers on St. Thomas
Fraudulently increasing staff member salaries and using the increased funds for his personal use
Using Legislative staff members to do his online coursework for him during work hours

Penalties

Williams faces a maximum penalty of:

20 years imprisonment
$250,000 in fines
Forfeiture penalties
Restitution

No sentencing date has been set.

Commendations and Prosecution Team

The United States Attorney commended the work of the Public Corruption Task Force and Assistant US Attorneys Kim R. Lindquist and Kelly B. Lake, who are prosecuting this case.