Whitaker Admits to Wire Fraud, Bribery in Plea Deal over Mon Ethos Contracts, SBA Loan
David Whitaker, founder of the cybersecurity company whose contracts with the V.I. Police Department became the focus of an FBI investigation.
2024-09-13 16:07:30 - VI News Staff
David Whitaker, founder of the cybersecurity company whose contracts with the V.I. Police Department became the focus of an FBI investigation, admitted to two counts of wire fraud and one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds in a plea deal with prosecutors unsealed on Thursday in V.I. District Court.
Whitaker — the former owner of Mon Ethos Pro Support who has a long history of fraud but nonetheless was able to secure more than $3 million in V.I. government contracts — was released on an unsecured $250,000 bond. He surrendered his passport and was ordered not to travel outside of Georgia, where he currently lives, except to visit his father in Coeburn, Virginia, or to attend court hearings in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The FBI investigation came to light in June, when agents seized the cell phones of then VIPD Commissioner Ray Martinez and Office of Management and Budget Director Jenifer O’Neal, who was subpoenaed to testify regarding the VIPD contract with Whitaker, the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office said at the time. Both Martinez and O’Neal resigned.