Declassified documents reveal Mon Ethos placed listening devices in government offices

It was one of the most puzzling incidents to hit the USVI government: more than a dozen listening devices placed in various government departments and agencies for unknown reasons. “I could never understand why anyone would want to wiretap the OMB office,” Gov. Albert Bryan said on June 17, days after the Consortium released multiple reports on federal investigations involving some of its most important department and agency heads: former VIPD Commissioner Ray Martinezformer Director of the Management and Budget Office Jennifer O’Nealand current Commissioner for Sports, Parks and Recreation Calvert White.

This wiretapping caseThe Consortium first reported in August 2022, has brought together local and federal authorities to investigate, Mr. Martinez said at the time. He condemned the incident and said law enforcement would use all of its resources to bring the perpetrators to justice. “The individuals who placed these devices for nefarious purposes underestimated the ability of local law enforcement to discover them,” he said at the time. “We will not stand by and allow these individuals to trample our civil rights and intentionally interfere with the effective and orderly functioning of our government. They underestimated our dedication and access to advanced digital forensics capabilities. Make no mistake, we have only just scratched the surface of this investigation.”

As it turns out, the devices were planted by Mon Ethos, whose founder David Whitaker pleaded guilty to telecommunications fraud and bribery.

While press conference on June 17Governor Bryan said the relationship with the Mon Ethos began after the discovery of the listening devices. “That’s how the relationship with them began,” he said, which was confirmed by unsealed federal document on Thursday. “That engagement led to the discovery of a miniature spy camera in the office of the Commissioner of the Virgin Islands Department of Personnel,” the document reads. A subsequent investigation led to the discovery of 13 additional surveillance devices hidden in various government offices. Mr. Whitaker then billed VIPD a total of $130,195 for “work” performed to find the devices. It is at this point that the nefarious dealings with the VIPD official appear to have begun.

Prosecutors detailed, with names redacted from the public version of the document, bribes paid to a VIPD “agent” in exchange for priority payment of outstanding invoices and additional contracts awarded to Mr. Whitaker. “Specifically, early in the fraud, the defendant discussed and agreed with (redacted) that if the defendant paid (redacted) and provided financial assistance to a restaurant owned by (redacted), (redacted) would use his position in (redacted) to ensure that the defendant’s outstanding invoices were paid by approving and signing the final invoices and directing others to sign the final invoices,” the document says. In all, the unnamed VIPD official received more than $66,000 in bribes, including restaurant supplies and equipment, travel from St. Thomas to Boston for an unnamed individual and others, and cash payments to the official and his family. “The expenses associated with the Boston trips included, among other things, stay at the Encore Hotel, personal butler services throughout your stay and tickets to local sporting events,” the document reads.