A cruise ship passenger is facing a federal charge after jumping overboard with thousands in cash on him this past weekend in Puerto Rico, after allegedly incurring about $16,000 in gambling losses on the high seas, federal prosecutors said.
Jey Xander Omar Gonzalez-Diaz was arrested on Sunday after allegedly jumping off Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas when it docked in San Juan, according to a criminal complaint by Homeland Security Investigation special agent Gabriel Santiago.
The passenger has been charged with allegedly failing to report the transport of monetary instruments over $10,000 from outside the United States. The complaint did not explicitly link Gonzalez-Diaz’s decision to jump overboard with his alleged debt.
Gonzalez-Diaz was fished out of the water by passersby on jet skis and brought to shore, where Customs and Border Patrol officers found $14,600 cash on him, the complaint said.
The criminal complaint states that Gonzalez-Diaz left the ship, allegedly owing Royal Caribbean $16,710.24 in debts that were “almost exclusively associated with Casino and Gaming expenses.”
When Gonzalez-Diaz was asked to explain the jump, the traveler allegedly told investigators in Spanish that “he did not want to report the currency on his possession because he thought he was going to be taxed duties for bringing in the currency,” according to the complaint.
A Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson declined comment, stating that “as this is an ongoing investigation, we are working with authorities and don’t have any more information to share.”
A lawyer for Gonzalez-Diaz couldn’t be immediately reached for comment on Wednesday.
