ST. CROIX — After a fire destroyed his office and personal belongings, attorney Darren John-Baptiste is seeking a 120-day delay in the sentencing of Darin Richardson because he “wishes to be at his best mentally to adequately represent” his client, according to a motion.
Richardson was convicted in March on five counts, including bank fraud and money laundering, in connection with his role as the former chief operating officer of the Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority and a multi-million-dollar lumber management contract the VIHFA awarded to Island Services Group LLC.
READ MORE: Darin Richardson found guilty on all five counts including fraud after jury deliberates for one day
John-Baptiste filed an emergency motion on Thursday to continue Richardson’s sentencing, currently scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on September 30 in District Court on St. Croix. He explained that he requested the continuance because a fire on September 10 at a property complex on Blackbeard’s Hill on St. Thomas destroyed his office. He pointed out he was also living at the property, so all things necessary for his personal and professional life were destroyed, excluding laptops and hard drives.
Richardson’s case stems from an indictment charging Davidson and Sasha Charlemagne in connection with the VIHFA contract awarded to ISG. His case was severed, and he stood trial alone. The married couple pleaded not guilty to charges related to the alleged theft of disaster relief program funds during their initial arraignment on June 20, 2024.
READ MORE: Charlemagnes plead not guilty to federal charges related to theft of disaster relief program funds
Davidson Charlemagne allegedly proposed that Morris Anselmi, ISG co-owner, submit a bid in response to the request for proposals for the management of the lumber, with his company, D&S Trucking, serving as subcontractor. The Charlemagnes were later arraigned on additional charges of submitting false claims related to timesheets filed for lumber management work.
READ MORE: Charlemagnes arraigned on new charges of false claims connected to timesheets in woodpile fraud case
In a second superseding indictment, the Charlemagnes were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, wire fraud, and nine counts of making false claims against the United States. Prosecutors allege they submitted fraudulent timesheets showing Sasha Charlemagne worked multiple full days at the woodpile site, despite not being physically present in the territory. Davidson Charlemagne also faces charges of fraud involving federally funded programs.
Separately, Anselmi and fellow ISG co-owner Kimberly McCollum were indicted for allegedly stealing $500,000 in COVID-19 relief funds through the Paycheck Protection Program. Anselmi, who resides in Texas, is a government witness in the Charlemagnes’ case. He was granted immunity to testify without fear of prosecution related to the VIHFA contract.
During the second session of Anselmi’s videotaped deposition on April 28 — held to preserve his testimony due to a serious medical condition — attorneys for the Charlemagnes questioned him about his PPP indictment. The government insisted Anselmi’s immunity applied only to the VIHFA case, but attorneys David Cattie (for Davidson Charlemagne) and Pamela Colon (for Sasha Charlemagne) disagreed.
In an opinion issued last Wednesday, Senior District Judge Wilma Lewis ruled that Anselmi could invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. She found that the immunity agreement only covered testimony related to his dealings with the Charlemagnes under the VIHFA contract. Because this limited immunity prevented full cross-examination, Lewis ruled that Anselmi’s testimony must be excluded unless his criminal exposure changes.
On Tuesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise George told U.S. Magistrate Judge Emile Henderson III that the U.S. Attorney’s Office is strongly considering expanding Anselmi’s immunity to include the PPP fraud case. George later told WTJX that doing so would allow Anselmi’s stalled deposition to continue.
Attorneys Scot McChain (representing Anselmi) and Annabelle Nadler (representing McCollum) told the court that negotiations with the government are ongoing, and a resolution is expected before the next calendar call on December 15.
