Bribery Trial Begins for Calvert White and Benjamin Hendricks as Prosecutors Cite “Greed and Corruption”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lina Peng told jurors they will hear audio recordings where the defendants discuss a $16,000 bribe to secure a DPSR camera contract, while defense attorneys argued the government's key witness was a self-serving con man.

ST. THOMAS — The federal corruption trial of Department of Sports, Parks, and Recreation Commissioner Calvert White and contractor Benjamin Hendricks opened Monday in District Court, with prosecutors framing the case as one of “greed and corruption,” while defense attorneys sought to undermine the credibility of the prosecution’s key witness.

The day began with the conclusion of jury selection, followed by opening arguments that laid the groundwork for a case built on audio recordings, text messages, and financial transactions prosecutors say clearly document a bribery scheme tied to a $2.1 million bid for security camera installation at DPSR facilities.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lina Peng, speaking for the prosecution, began by stating plainly: “This is a straightforward case about greed and corruption.” She told jurors they would hear the defendants’ own words in recordings discussing how businessman David Whitaker—then owner of Mon Ethos Pro Support—was expected to pay $16,000 to secure favorable treatment of his company’s bid. “You will hear the scheme unfold in the defendant’s own words,” Peng said.

Prosecutors say Whitaker, unbeknownst to the defendants, was cooperating with law enforcement and recorded conversations in which White allegedly pushed him to speak to Hendricks. Hendricks, in turn, reportedly demanded the $16,000 payment. Jurors will also hear how $5,000 was wired to Hendricks’s company account and later matched by a $5,000 cash deposit into White’s Banco Popular account.

Defense attorneys did not contest the existence of the recordings or the transactions. Instead, both Clive Rivers (for White) and Darren John Baptiste (for Hendricks) used their openings to focus on attacking Whitaker’s credibility.