According to the VI Consortium, David Whitaker is now being described by the federal government as a cooperating witness — a designation being made public for the first time — as prosecutors and defence counsel filed a joint motion on Thursday to delay his sentencing, currently scheduled for April 7 in the United States Virgin Islands.
The motion brings to the fore Whitaker’s critical role in ongoing legal proceedings, positioning him as a key figure in multiple high-profile cases with potentially far-reaching implications.
“The United States anticipates calling Defendant Whitaker as a cooperating witness at two different trials, which are not anticipated to conclude until the end of 2025,” the motion said, referring to the trials of Ray Martinez and Jenifer O’Neal, as well as Calvert White and Benjamin Hendricks.
Last September, Mr. Whitaker pleaded guilty to offering at least one government official bribes in exchange for expedited payments of his company’s invoices.
Meanwhile, Mr. Martinez and Ms. O’Neal were provided with court-appointed attorneys on a temporary basis after the court learned during a Thursday status conference that they did not yet have official private representation. Both parties now have until January 31 to file a financial affidavit with the court. Mr. Martinez and Ms. O’Neal face charges of honest services wire fraud scheme, bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, and money laundering conspiracy. They have pleaded not guilty.