A person leapt overboard the pictured Rhapsody of the Seas and caught a jet ski ashore to allegedly keep away from paying a $16,710 on line casino debt. [Image: Shutterstock.com]
Sprint for freedom
A passenger fleeing a luxurious cruise liner over a debt he allegedly racked up whereas playing onboard may solely briefly savor his freedom on the streets of Puerto Rico earlier than US Customs and Border Safety (CBP) arrested him.
Gonzalez-Diaz leapt overboard
The CBP discovered Jey Gonzalez-Diaz ashore on Sunday, after he’d jumped ship earlier that morning. Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas was pulling into the Port of San Juan getting back from Barbados when Gonzalez-Diaz leapt overboard.
Puerto Rico movie star entrepreneur Jorge Pabón, identified regionally as Molusco, took to X with photos of Gonzalez-Diaz’s sprint for freedom:
Gonzalez-Diaz had been on the ship as a passenger. Throughout his week-long cruise, alleges Royal Carribean, he racked up $16,710 in debt “nearly solely” on on line casino play.
Gonzalez-Diaz’s colourful escape included a jet ski, and he additionally later discovered time to sass investigators.
Spectacular escape
After Gonzalez-Diaz leapt overboard he was, as seen on CCTV video, taken ashore on a jet ski “by somebody passing by.” US CBP officers later arrested him close to the Puerto Rico Capitol Constructing and located him holding $14,600 in money, two telephones, and a number of IDs.
In response to The Mirror, the money discovered on Gonzalez-Diaz was over $5,000 wanting the general debt the legal criticism filed within the US District Court docket for the District of Puerto Rico accuses him of racking up on playing.
In response to the criticism, nonetheless, Gonzalez-Diaz instructed federal brokers that he jumped off Rhapsody as a result of “he didn’t need to report the cash, understanding that he can be charged taxes.”
One other twist within the story got here when brokers studied the 5 IDs discovered on Gonzalez-Diaz, together with a US passport and a Puerto Rico beginning certificates.
Investigators found that whereas the passport and social safety card have been for Jey Xander Omar Gonzalez Diaz, the Tennessee ID and beginning certificates have been within the title of Jeremy Omar Gonzalez-Diaz.
Oh brother
In response to CBS Information, data checks of the IDs have revealed that Jeremy has been in federal custody in Puerto Rico since January. The casino-ship leaping Jey instructed investigators Jeremy was his brother.
In case you guys have been good at your job, you’d know that.”
When investigators requested the would-be runaway for his actual title, he fired a barb at officers based on the affidavit, stating: “In case you guys have been good at your job, you’d know that.”
In response to the criticism, the boarding go and invoice for the on line casino bills have been all within the title of Jeremy Diaz. Not like his sibling, Jey is now out on bail. Accused of making an attempt to keep away from financial reporting necessities when touring into the US, Jey faces a most 5 years in jail, a penalty of as much as $250,000, or each.
