Crime

Former Port Authority Supervisor Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Over $200K

ST. CROIX – After pleading guilty to spending more than $200,000 of public funds without authorization, former V.I. Port Authority Purchasing Supervisor Lydia Cabret faces possible jail time at sentencing next month. In November of 2015, Ms. Cabret was arrested and charged with the following: (1) embezzlement of public accounts (2) criminally influenced and corrupt organizations embezzlement of public funds (3) obtaining money by false pretenses, and (4) unauthorized use of credit card. This March she pleaded guilty to the first charge – embezzlement of public accounts – via a plea agreement that would free her of all the other charges in exchange. Ms. Cabret’s plea deal also guarantees that the government cannot reopen the case in the future. According to V.I. law, the penalty for embezzlement of public accounts is a fine of no more than $10,000, or imprisonment for up to 10 years, or both imprisonment and a fine. The plea deal signed by both Ms. Cabret’s lawyer, H. Hannibal O’Bryan, ...