A dramatic escape attempt from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship near Puerto Rico has landed a passenger in legal hot water. Jey Gonzalez-Diaz, reportedly facing over $16,000 in gambling debts to the cruise line, took a leap into the ocean as the Rhapsody of the Seas disembarked in San Juan on Sunday. His daring attempt to avoid paying his casino losses, however, was short-lived.
Gonzalez-Diaz's jump, captured on surveillance footage, was followed by a rescue by a passing jet skier. Authorities from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) apprehended him near the Puerto Rico Capitol Building. Upon arrest, he was found carrying a significant amount of cash – $14,600 – along with two phones and five different identification documents. This raised immediate suspicion.
The criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico alleges that Gonzalez-Diaz attempted to evade monetary reporting requirements upon re-entry to the United States. He initially claimed he jumped ship to avoid taxes on the large sum of cash. However, Royal Caribbean confirmed to investigators that Gonzalez-Diaz, booked under the name Jeremy Diaz, owed the cruise line a substantial sum, almost entirely attributed to casino and gaming expenses.
Further complicating matters, records revealed that a Jeremy Omar Gonzalez-Diaz, whom Jey Gonzalez-Diaz identified as his brother, had been previously detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. The suspect's evasive response to investigators when asked for his full name only added to the suspicions.
Gonzalez-Diaz was subsequently released on bail. He faces a potential fine up to $250,000 and/or a five-year prison sentence if convicted of attempting to avoid monetary reporting requirements. The case highlights the lengths some will go to avoid paying debts and the consequences of such actions when caught attempting to evade federal laws.
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Originally published at: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jey-gonzalez-diaz-royal-caribbean-overboard-gambling-debt/
