80.7 F
Charlotte Amalie
Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeNewsLocal newsBermudez Pleads Guilty to Federal Program Fraud and Tax Charges

Bermudez Pleads Guilty to Federal Program Fraud and Tax Charges

Celeste P. Bermudez, 41, formerly of St. Croix, pleaded guilty Monday in federal court on St. Thomas to theft of federal program funds and making and subscribing a false income tax return, acting U.S. Attorney Joycelyn Hewlett announced.

District Judge Curtis V. Gomez allowed Bermudez to remain on bail until Aug. 1, when she must self- surrender to the United States Marshals Service. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 8.

According to the plea agreement, Bermudez was the finance director of the Virgin Islands Community AIDS Resource & Education, Inc., known as VICARE, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting HIV-AIDS education and support services to individuals living with HIV-AIDS.

In 2011, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development approved approximately $1.3 million in grant funds to VICARE. During the period July 1, 2011, through June 30, 2014, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) awarded VICARE approximately $627,365 in grant funds.

According to Hewlett, Bermudez admitted to embezzling more than $5,000 during the period January 2012 through December 2013. Bermudez also admitted to making and subscribing a false 2011 income tax return, in that Bermudez failed to report $135,783.29 in 2011 income from VICARE.

Bermudez faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the federal program fraud charge, and not more than three years in prison or a $5,000 fine, or both, for the tax charge.

The case was investigated by HUD Office of Inspector General, HHS Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kim L. Chisholm and Meredith Edwards.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Keeping our community informed is our top priority.
If you have a news tip to share, please call or text us at 340-228-8784.

Support local + independent journalism in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Unlike many news organizations, we haven't put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as accessible as we can. Our independent journalism costs time, money and hard work to keep you informed, but we do it because we believe that it matters. We know that informed communities are empowered ones. If you appreciate our reporting and want to help make our future more secure, please consider donating.