The Office of the Territorial Public Defender (OTPD) is calling for immediate transparency from local law enforcement and the Virgin Islands Justice Department regarding criminal prosecutions that involved the companies once headed by David Whitaker.
Whitaker, the former head of Mon Ethos and its subsidiary, the Office of Data Discovery and Forensic Analysis (ODDFA), recently pled guilty to federal wire fraud and bribery charges. The OTPD is seeking full disclosure of all criminal cases where evidence or services provided by these entities played a role, raising concerns about the integrity of past prosecutions.
Chief Territorial Public Defender Julie S. Todman voiced her concerns in a press release Thursday, stating, “Virgin Islanders have been and continue to be prosecuted based on evidence managed by an individual who has now admitted to criminal activities. The OTPD demands the identification of those cases. We are committed to pursuing this inquiry to its fullest extent and will explore all avenues for justice if authorities refuse to disclose this information willingly.”
The urgency of the OTPD’s demands stems from the revelation that for over two years, the Virgin Islands Police Department relied on information and services provided by Whitaker’s companies. Whitaker’s recent admission of guilt has cast a shadow over the credibility of the evidence handled by these entities, according to the release.
“Our Police Department entrusted evidence to organizations directed by someone who has now pleaded guilty to fraud and bribery,” said Todman. “The V.I. Department of Justice then used this evidence in an unknown number of prosecutions.”
The situation escalated when it was revealed that Whitaker’s companies, under contracts with VIPD, held crucial pieces of physical evidence, including the cell phones of individuals under investigation. Documents from a recent civil suit filed by the government against Mon Ethos Pro Support LLC—another entity connected to Whitaker—highlighted that dozens of electronic devices were in their possession, sparking further concerns about the integrity of the evidence.
Whitaker quietly transferred the company to new ownership in April.
Whitaker’s legal troubles came to light in March when he entered a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, admitting to two counts of wire fraud and one count of bribery involving federal funds. Whitaker confessed to devising a scheme to defraud or obtain money through false representations, as well as paying bribes to secure payments and additional contracts with VIPD.
The Virgin Islands government previously engaged in a legal battle with Mon Ethos, seeking the return of equipment and data that the company was accused of “holding hostage” in exchange for nearly $480,000 it claimed it was owed. The government’s lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed after the property was returned, but not before Mon Ethos filed a motion for attorneys’ fees, alleging that the government’s claims were baseless. The DOJ has since argued that Whitaker’s criminal activities and the obstructive behavior of Mon Ethos made the legal expenses unnecessary.
Whitaker’s plea agreement also revealed that he planted surveillance devices in government offices, which he then claimed to have “discovered” during a sweep, billing VIPD over $130,000 for the fraudulent work.
Public spending records indicate that since August 2022, the V.I. government has paid $3.31 million to Mon Ethos, with contracts for security systems and surveillance at schools in the St. Croix district being canceled following the scandal. Curtis Jones, the new owner of Mon Ethos, has stated that the company should not be punished for Whitaker’s actions, emphasizing that current employees have continued to deliver essential services under challenging circumstances.
