ST. CROIX -- Former U.S. Virgin Islands Senator Wayne James was arrested in Nonantola, Italy following an internationally warrant issued in October 2015 by the District Court of the Virgin Islands related to alleged wire fraud, document forgery and embezzlement, according to The Gazzetta Di Modena, an Italian newspaper.
The Paper shows Mr. James being taken into custody by Italian police, and says the disgraced former lawmaker is accused of falsification of documents and obtaining $90,000 to fund research of the 1878 Fireburn relative to the Danish domination period of the territory, but instead used the money for personal gain. The story appeared in the popular Paper on Wednesday.
Mr. James served as a U.S.V.I. senator between the years 2009-2011.
Wayne James taken into custody by Italian police. (Credit: Gazzetta Di Modena)
According to The Gazzetta Di Modena, Mr. James, who once lived in the province of Pisa, sponsored an amateur football team in Italy. He was traced to an apartment in Nonantola, Italy, where he was a guest of some friends in the city of Modena, and was intent on writing a book titled "Manly Manners", which contains a chapter dedicated to traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena. Mr. James runs a blog with the same title; his most recent blog post being June 21.
The Paper says Mr. James will now sit in prison located in the same Italian city, before being extradited back to the territory.
The one-term senator was mocked by residents for spending taxpayers money for his traveling, and for spending a vast amount of time outside the U.S. Virgin Islands while serving as a legislator.
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