US Virgin Islands Responsible Gaming Contractor Guilty of Federal Charges
The US Virgin Islands Casino Control Commission was used as a vehicle for theft by those inward power, a federal panel set on Dec 23.
Jurors inward the US District Court on St. Croix levied a shamefaced verdict utmost Th against Stephanie Barnes, 63. After a three-week trial, the panel concluded that Barnes conspired with former Casino Control Commission Chair Violet Golden between 2015 and 2018 to embezzling to a greater extent than $600,000 from the island government.
Barnes was deemed guilty of trey federal charges, including ii counts of theft and misappropriation of to a greater extent than $1,000 of money belonging to the Government of the Virgin Islands. The Virgin Islands resident was to boot convicted of knowingly filing a off-key revenue enhancement return.
Barnes turned herself inward to authorities yesterday morning. She testament be sentenced on Apr 20.
The US Virgin Islands Casino Control Commission is tasked with licensing casinos and key employees. It is an main(a) bureau of the VI Government. The federal agency consists of terzetto board members, plus a regulatory and enforcement staff.
The US Virgin Islands cassino marketplace is small. There are currently only two licensed casinos indoors resorts: Divi Carina Bay Resort & Casino and Casino at Hotel Caravelle, both on St. Croix.
Total 2019 revenue gaming revenue on the island was $10.38 million. The casinos won to a lesser extent than $4.5 billion inwards 2020 due to the pandemic and inward journey restrictions.
Criminal Conspiracy
The US Department of Justice contends that Golden inward 2015 hired Barnes as the Casino Control Commission’s for the first time “Certified Problem Gambling Specialist.” At the clip of the hiring, Barnes had no more receive combating problem gambling.
The casino authority paid for Barnes to undergo a responsible for(p) gaming credential program. The governance regulatory government agency later paid for Barnes to obtain both a Master’s degree and Ph.D. The DOJ did not delineate the Master’s and Ph.D. programs.
In increase to paying for her schooling, federal prosecutors alleged that Barnes and Golden embarked on all-expenses-paid trips to casino-related conferences aboard leased planes. The duo stayed at glitzy resorts, including the Ritz Carlton Hotel on St. Thomas, and traveled to Walt Disney World in FL and took inward a public presentation of Hamilton while staying inwards New York City.
All told, the grounds constituted that Barnes received salary and benefits from the Casino Commission totaling o'er $600,000 in around three years,” the Justice Department for the District of Virgin Islands concluded.
Potential Penalties
Unlike Golden, who admitted her guilt in the confederacy and agreed to a plea deal, Barnes allowed her pillowcase to spell to trial. The repercussions, as a result, are a great deal to a greater extent severe.
Barnes is veneer up to 8 years in prison after the jury, consisting of deuce men and 10 women, unanimously found her shamefaced of the tercet charges. Conversely, Golden has already been released from prison house after serving a minuscule to a greater extent than 20 months in arrears bars.