Former Virgin Islands Office of Highway Safety Employee Agrees to $123,917 Civil Settlement
On March 15, 2018, Kareem Christian entered into a civil settlement agreement with the U. S. Attorney’s Office (USAO), District of Virgin Islands. Christian agreed to pay the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) $123,917.
The agreement settles allegations that between 2008 and 2012, Christian misdirected NHTSA grant funds and equipment for personal gain when he falsely certified, on at least three occasions, that the Virgin Island Police Department (VIPD) received computer equipment purchased with NHTSA grant funds. Christian allegedly sold the items to a third party. At the time of the alleged fraud, Christian was the traffic records coordinator for the Virgin Islands Office of Highway Safety and the owner of Umbrella I.T., a private tech company. As the traffic records coordinator, Christian was responsible for requesting and receiving Federal funds to purchase equipment for the VIPD under sections 406 and 408 of the NHTSA grant program.
The settlement agreement is a compromise of disputed claims and is neither an admission of liability by Christian nor a concession by the United States that its claims are not well founded.
DOT-OIG conducted this investigation with assistance from the VIPD.