Former V. I. Senator Extradited To U.S., Charged With Wire Fraud, Embezzlement Of Legislative Funds
ST. CROIX — Former disgraced U.S. Virgin Islands senator Wayne James, who was arrested on June 29 in Modena, Italy, was extradited from Italy on Wednesday to face charges that he had defrauded the Government of the Virgin Islands of tens of thousands of dollars while he served as a senator in the Legislature.
The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of D.O.J.’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe of the District of the Virgin Islands, Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Leff of the FBI’s San Juan Division and Virgin Islands Inspector General Steven Van Beverhoudt.
Mr. James, 55, of St. Croix, was indicted on October 1, 2015, with two counts of wire fraud and one count of federal program embezzlement.
According to the indictment, from 2009 to 2011, Mr. James served as chair of the Senate Committee on Youth, Education and Culture in the 28th Legislature. While serving as the chair, Mr. James allegedly obtained tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars for the purpose of acquiring and translating historical documents related to the “Fireburn,” an 1878 uprising by freed slaves in St. Croix.
Read more: http://viconsortium.com/breaking-news/former-senator-wayne-james-extradited-to-u-s-charged-with-wire-fraud-embezzlement-of-legislative-funds/