ST. CROIX — Police arrested several employees of the Virgin Islands Department of Human Services today as part of an ongoing investigation into Medicaid fraud, according to multiple government officials.
Authorities have not yet released the names of those arrested or the specific charges they may face, but WTJX was able to identify some of them shown in a video taken by The Virgin Islands Consortium of the arrests.
The video showed police arresting DHS employees at the agency’s office in Frederiksted, including three women employed as eligibility specialists according to the Division of Personnel’s online employee database — Shantenysha Victor-Davis and Clarissa Nuñez, whose salaries are listed at $38,075, and Doenyka Lewis, whose salary is listed at $39,530.
The Virgin Islands Police Department previously arrested Victor-Davis on January 16, 2025 after an investigation by the Economic Crimes Unit into a grand larceny complaint filed by the estate executor of a deceased man revealed that she allegedly gained access to the man’s First Bank accounts and unlawfully obtained $226,704.68. She was charged with grand larceny, embezzlement by fiduciaries, obtaining money by false pretense, participating in fraud on creditors, and access to computer for fraudulent purposes. She pleaded guilty to obtaining money by false pretense and was sentenced on December 3, 2025 to five years in prison. Her prison term was suspended, and she was placed on supervised probation for five years. She was also required to pay restitution in the amount of $226,704.68, making an initial payment of $15,000 and the remainder at the rate of at least $500 per month until paid in full.
Attorney General Gordon Rhea said the arrests are part of a larger effort and that the investigation is ongoing.
“This is a series of arrests that are taking place, and they are not finished,” he said by phone. “There are more to go.”
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, who also served as DHS chief financial officer in 2017, with bringing the concerns to the administration’s attention.
About a year and a half ago, Bryan said some of the numbers did not look right relative to Medicaid payouts, so his administration began an investigation, noting the Virgin Islands Department of Justice has a Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
“We saw some things that didn’t seem right, and we launched the investigation as to why we saw certain businesses that were getting payouts that were higher than what we expected,” he said.
O’Neal, who resigned as DHS chief financial officer in 2017, raised concerns in her resignation letter to then-Governor Kenneth Mapp about potential fraud within DHS programs, including Medicaid billing and payouts as well as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, where insufficient checks increased the risk of misuse or fraud.
The governor emphasized that Medicaid fraud cases are not new in the territory and noted that arrests and convictions have occurred throughout his administration. He also expressed concern about the broader implications of the 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.”
Bryan, in a statement issued today, said the arrests announced today involving an alleged Medicaid fraud scheme, including individuals connected to the Virgin Islands Department of Human Services and members of the medical community, are “deeply troubling.”
“Medicaid exists to serve our most vulnerable residents,” Bryan said in a statement. “Any effort to exploit it is an attack on the public trust and a theft from the people of the Virgin Islands.”
DHS, in a statement issued just before noon, indicated that the agency was notified about the arrests of several employees within its Medical Assistance Program and SNAP, as well as members of the community stemming from a local investigation into alleged fraudulent activities.
DHS assured the public that it is taking immediate steps to strengthen internal oversight and safeguard the programs that support some of the most vulnerable members of the community.
“The alleged actions of a few do not reflect the commitment of the many hardworking, honest professionals at VIDHS who dedicate themselves daily to public service,” according to the statement. “We remain focused on our mission and committed to restoring and maintaining the public’s trust.”
