Associates of U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree’s husband, billionaire hedge fund investor S. Donald Sussman, have become key players in a major bribery scandal that is rocking the Department of Justice and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The Daily Caller has reported that Virgin Islands Governor John De Jongh, Attorney General Vincent Frazer, and a number of USVI Senators have been named in a sealed indictment relating to at least $20 million in cash bribes to U.S. Department of Justice investigators and public officials in the USVI. The Daily Caller obtained this information through leaks from a source familiar with the indictments.
Sussman has been a resident of the USVI for years, and uses a controversial tax shelter managed by the Virgin Islands Economic Develop Commission (EDC) for his company, Trust Asset Management. Though parameters of the tax shelter require his residence in the USVI, Sussman has recently claimed that he is a resident of Maine, since his 2011 marriage to Congresswoman Pingree. Pingree and Sussman continue to frequent their multiple mansions in the islands, and have entertained notable figures on their private jet vacations, including Congressman and former Chair of the Financial Services Committee, Barney Frank. Details of Sussman’s tax shelter use were reported by the Weekly Standard in 2010.
Sussman shares a number of close relations to indicted governor John De Jongh.
[RELATED: National media chimes in on Sussman-Pingree-Media conflict of interest…]
Governor De Jongh appointed Sussman to the Board of Trustees of the University of the Virgin Islands in 2008. According to De Jongh, “[Sussman’s] professional experience and his dedication to service and philanthropy in the Virgin Islands make him the right candidate to fill the vacant position on the university’s Board of Trustees.”
Sussman then made a pledge of $1,000,000 to the university.
Sussman’s attorney is Paul Hoffman. Hoffman has been described as a “good friend” and top advisor to Governor De Jongh, even offering the “Introduction of the Governor” speech at the 2011 Inauguration ceremony for De Jongh.
Sussman also served on the inaugural committee of Governor De Jongh in 2011.
De Jongh and other USVI government officials face a growing expose of nefarious financial dealings. In addition to the bribery scandal, the Daily Caller has reported that De Jongh’s wife is on the payroll of billionaire Jeffrey Epstein.
[RELATED: Press Herald owner Sussman hit with lawsuit amid condo project fallout…]
Epstein, like Sussman, is a recipient of the USVI EDC tax credit. Epstein was convicted and served 13 months in prison for committing sex crimes. Epstein admitted to procuring underage girls and having sexual relations with them. He has settled 17 cases with other women who have made similar claims.
[RELATED: “Stealthy Wealthy: Donald Sussman, Rep. Pingree make strange bedfellows…”]
Sussman’s attorney Paul Hoffman also represents Jeffrey Epstein.
Hoffman is a major supporter of Congresswoman Pingree, and has contributed $7,000 to her congressional campaigns. Hoffman’s law practice manager Angela Walters has also donated $4,700 to Pingree.
[RELATED: As Maine debates GMO food labels, Sussman-Pingree’s connections to Big Ag surface…]
Pingree’s office said that she, “has never met Gov. De Jongh and has no association with him.”
Are Pingree-Sussman’s chickens coming home to roost? I find Pingree’s statement completely disingenuous, much like Obama attending Wright’s church for 20 years but never ‘ heard ‘ him. Pingree is also a known liar.
I can only wonder if this was a Republican Senator, would Eric Holder already be lauching a full scale investigation complete with indictments? And the lame-stream media would be howling about it! But for Pingree-Sussman……….all I’m hearing are crickets…..
Has Sussman purchased the local newspaper? Also, don’t expect anything to come from any part of the Holder Justice Department. And Barney Frank? Ugh! Time for Ms Pingree to get out of the upcoming Congressional race, as she continues to deny deny and deny. Does anybody believe she is credible in this scandal or anything else.
He is just as crooked as pingree!
No facts, just usual attempt to start a fire with wet matches:)
Is any one really surprised, no wonder he bought the newspaper. There is nothing liberal about liberals.
To be eligible for the tax breaks, Sussman has to be a resident of V.I. Now try and find his name on the roster of residents?
Or if he’s a resident of Maine, why is he still eligible for the Board of directors.?
Two Sussmans?
Very confusing and very illegal.
How much in your face can these people get? Why is this crap allowed to go on and on. If you or I tried to pull some of these antics, we would be crucified! They say, “what goes around, comes around”. I’m patiently waiting for justice.
Good work Wire. Keep the spot light on this item.
Owning a paper and a congressional seat does not apparently make one immune to scandle. Appears Mr. Sussman and candidate Pingree have a bit of a jam on his hands.
No facts J? Have you read the article?
I can’t wait to read all about it in the Morning Sentenal
If sussman votes in Maine, does he commit voter fraud?
Don’t count on reading it in the Sentinel, or in any other MTM newspaper. And of course, they’ll recuse themselves when it comes time for political endorsements. Yes, great work, Maine Wire.
Te left are huge hypocrits to the point of halarity!.. they circle the wagons to elect a one percenter while decrying one percenters; and they get their marching orders by reading the newspaper totally controlled by these one percenters…. talk about mind numbed robots! I am sure dollars will get spread around the right way, and strings will be pulled with Eric Holder, and this will be the last you hear about this organized crime.
What do you expect from mind-numbed maine today readers?.. Old J is just following his marching orders he got in his daily fax!
“He has settled 17 cases with other women who have made similar claims.”
Settled. Right. It’s amazing what money can buy.
“Pingree’s office said that she, “has never met Gov. De Jongh and has no association with him.””
Riiiiight!
Let’s not forget that Governor De Jongh used public funds to make improvements to his private home. Where is the Department of Justice on this issue?
All those losers who wants to see the downfall of Gov de Jongh are sore losers and has beens. your importance in the VI community is dead. And the former police officer your reputation is intertwined with drugs and murder. You will never be able to step in Gov de Jongh’s shoes. I always wonder if according to “christian values” if homosexuality is any better than other sex crimes??? We who live in glass houses should not throw stones! Are VI democrats using stateside Republicans to sully the good name of John and Barak? Shame! Shame! Shame!
dewolf have a good name. yeah right. fake wannabe VI. the wolf stole public money before he became “governor” to update his PRIVATE residence. good name. what a joker you are. this is the same governor who talks about not putting our children in debt. and what has he done PUT OUR CHILDREN IN DEBT. giving money to Diageo (nasty captin morgan rum YUCK!!!) and contracts to all his friends where he gets kickbacks. and don’t forget his little johnny boy getting waxed behind the St. Thomas UVI gym by a woman not his wife. He could keep going to that Obea woman for protection not going to work anymore. HIS BACKSIDE STILL GOING JAIL. So the enablers, can pack your suitcase and get on CONAIR cause it’s coming.
WHAT A CROCK OF SHIT.THE PLACE IS FULL OF CRIMINALS.FROM THE GOVERNOR DOWN TO THE JANITOR.
This blog is a bunch of right wing sheep! Yay America!
thank you. funny how the enablers know about the articles on this site ant the daily caller. the only and i mean the ONLY place they could hear it from is the “criminal” radio station wdhp 1620 am in the VI. the station they “claim” to never listen to. it’s the only place VI’s can get information and enlightenment like belvoved says all the time.
don’t mind J. he’s one of the enablers of the “governor”. they all afraid. the people are really tired of the BS going on. Just this monday the school buses on St.Croix stopped because the government failed to pay the company over $600,000. the department of education was told be the company the buses would not run on monday and they did nothing not even telling the parents. now they are scrambling to find the money to pay while our children are walking to school on roads that have potholes as all over the place. and no that thief did not use the ARRA funds to pave all the roads. but the governor made sure they built him an air conditioned tent at the carnival horse racing on friday. and he claims the government is broke. Yeah broke for our people but not for himself, his witch of a wife and his kickback friends. go to http://www.cruciansinfocus.com and http://www.freemansground.com to find out even more of the corruption happening in the VI.
The Virgin Islands Governor John P. deJongh is a total disgrace to public service. His wife has no morals or character to still continue her employment relationship with pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. This bribery scandal and the failure to act on the part of the US Department of Justice, under Eric Holder’s leadership is just shameful at best and more likely than not will cost President Obama the Presidency in the upcoming general election. Shame, Shame with our economy the way it is and this kind of lawlessness has been allowed.
Please don’t be an ass. But moreover you definitely sound like you have been injected with the deJongh bullshit, deny, deny, deny and then maybe it will go away. Stop embarassing yourself for this fat crook. People in the Virgin Islands that did vote for this fraudster are crying their eyes out right about now. Idiot!!
Your congresswoman never met Governor deJongh?? His closest advisor contributed monies to her campaign and he appointed her husband to the UVI Board of Trustees…. Really Congresswoman don’t make the people that voted for you sorry for placing their trust in you by making such a false statement. Your integrity would have held better if you at least said that you were introduced to the Virgin Islands Governor but do not condone the illegal things that he is doing and I have asked my husband to resign as board trustee and give up his EDC benefits because he is really not a resident of the Virgin Islands. He is a billionaire for Christ’s sakes and a thief of benefits.
Of course we know what you are talking about John. The truth can always be led back to the ‘right wing sheep’, right? We sure as hell will never get the story from the lefty’s, for sure. Think about what your saying here. Have you read the article? Try it sometime, with an open mind.
Sorry pal. I don’t let things like “facts” and “truth” cloud my judgement.
Go LePage! Rah! Rah! U -S – A!
I can not wait for the wheels of justice to roll on the pot hole filled roads of the Virgin Islands it’s about time…..
stop drinking that captain morgan rum and eating at the chicken wing express with the dewolf
I drink your liberal tears! USA!USA!
These people are making Boss Tweed look like a Sunday school teacher!! Go away, Pingree, you hypocrite!
boy you are not funny. but i guess not only drinking captin morgan and eating chicken wing express you also have a casha in your backside for lepage. fyi im not a democratic or republican. you are a fool if you trust either party. but keep drinking that rum.
John, stop commenting as if you are another person…we see right through you!
A shame !!!!!!!
http://stthomasre.com/st-thomas-virgin-islands-news/daily-caller-accusations-debunked-in-the-details
A shame!
shocking? not really, same story, same shame
What’s, really going on in the VI….
What else would you expect from that culture. Disregard and disrespect are cultural norms in the good ol USVI
Not surprised!! Many things will come to light as the administration fades to black!
That’s sort of a silly hit piece. All you have to do is a quick cross check. Must be election season.
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Les aînés m’ont dit que dans les trois dernières années, 250 nouvelles sociétés établies à Singapour, l’entreprise peut survivre pendant trois ans ne dépasse pas cinq. Beaucoup de gens avec une auto que l’idée de la Grande, n’a pas fait des études de marché, ni plan très détaillé, une société enregistrée à la hâte tirer quelques personnes ont commencé à prospérer dans l’industrie de l’édition et de la diffusion du mythe de la réussite entrepreneuriale des personnes de réussite , il semble que chacun d’eux est un visionnaire, un génie osent prochaine décision.
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