ST. CROIX — Police arrested 11 people today in connection to a Medicaid fraud investigation, including one man who turned himself in after a wanted bulletin was issued for his arrest, according to a police official.
All of those arrested except one posted bail, Glen Dratte, Virgin Islands Police Department spokesperson, said. Shane Gaston had yet to post bail at the time WTJX spoke with Dratte.
The arrestees include six employees of the Virgin Islands Department of Human Services (four working with the Medical Assistance Program, or Medicaid, and two employees of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP) and four of their family members and associates.
The arrests stem from a 20-month investigation conducted by the DOJ in coordination with the department’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. According to investigators, the defendants intentionally misused government computer systems to alter or override eligibility safeguards, resulting in the unlawful disbursement of about $309,099.44 in Medicaid funds that the territory lost as a result.
Shantenysha Victor-Davis, one of the MAP employees who was arrested, is listed on the Division of Personnel’s online employee database as an eligibility specialist. Akim Davis, the person who turned himself in, is her husband.
The online employee database lists three other arrestees as eligibility specialists. They are SNAP employee Clarissa Nuñez and MAP employees Doenyka Lewis and Shanoya Hendrickson. Nuñez’s mother, Carmen Nuñez, was also arrested. Hendrickson’s mother, Karen Blyden, was also arrested.
The online employee database lists two other arrestees as eligibility information clerks. They are Kenera Sheneal Frederick, a MAP employee, and Lisaminelli Montanez, a SNAP employee. Frederick’s mother, Sharon Henry, was also arrested. Montanez’s partner, Gaston, was also arrested.
The salaries for Victor-Davis and Clarissa Nuñez are listed at $38,075. The salaries for Lewis and Hendrickson are listed at $39,530. The salaries for Frederick and Montanez are listed at $37,015.
The investigation began after the Public Integrity Unit within DHS identified irregularities in Medicaid eligibility determinations and referred the matter to MFCU for further investigation, according to a DOJ news release. Law enforcement executed the arrests at multiple locations, including DHS offices in Estate Hannah’s Rest and private residences throughout the island.
According to investigators, the employees exploited their positions within the Medicaid program to alter Medicaid eligibility information, manipulate eligibility files, add ineligible individuals to household files, and approve benefits to people who were not legally entitled to receive Medicaid assistance. In some instances, the Medicaid employees unlawfully extended Medicaid coverage for up to two years, despite Medicaid’s annual recertification requirement, and backdated Medicaid benefits for up to two years to create the appearance of continuous eligibility.
The defendants are charged with multiple offenses, including Medicaid fraud, access to computer for fraudulent purposes, fraudulent claims against the government, and embezzlement or falsification of public records. The investigation revealed that the employees knowingly bypassed established protocols to enrich themselves or others, violating both program integrity and public trust.
Earlier today, Governor Albert Bryan Jr. told WTJX the investigation began after irregularities in Medicaid payments were flagged internally. He credited former Office of Management and Budget Director Jenifer O’Neal with bringing the concerns to the administration’s attention about a year and a half ago.
O’Neal was convicted of participating in a scheme involving honest services wire fraud, bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, and money laundering conspiracy on December 11, 2025. Her conviction was unrelated to today’s arrests.
“We will not tolerate the corruption of vital public programs by those entrusted to administer them,” Attorney General Gordon Rhea said in a statement. “The alleged conduct in this case represents a deliberate betrayal of duty and a direct attack on the integrity of the Medicaid & SNAP programs. Our office will continue to pursue any individual who abuses government systems for personal gain.”
Rhea also emphasized the Virgin Islands government’s active role in combating corruption at all levels.
“While there are ongoing federal investigations into public corruption, it is important for the community to understand that the government of the Virgin Islands is also actively and independently investigating corruption within its own systems,” Rhea said. “Our law enforcement and oversight agencies — including the DOJ Special Investigations Division (SID), the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU), the White Collar Crime and Public Corruption Unit, Office of the Inspector General, and the U.S. Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) — are working collaboratively to identify, investigate, execute arrests and prosecute criminal conduct. Today’s arrests are the result of that sustained partnership and commitment to accountability. No one is above the law, and when crimes are uncovered, we will act.”
The governor expressed concern about the broader implications of the Medicaid fraud case.
“My concern is threatening the money that we have,” he said, questioning whether the federal government would take back disaster recovery funds after the Federal Emergency Management Agency certified invoices that have been paid without much scrutiny because of the transparency and policies in place. “So, for this to happen is sad because it blemishes the Virgin Islands.”
Rhea said MFCU will continue to safeguard taxpayer funds and protect services intended for the territory’s most vulnerable residents.
“This case underscores the importance of strong oversight, interagency cooperation, and swift action when fraud is detected,” he stated.
The case remains ongoing, and additional investigative steps are being pursued. Anyone with information regarding this case or any instances of Medicaid fraud is encouraged to contact the MFCU at 888-404-6328 or at vimfcu@doj.vi.gov.
