A man accused of owing a cruise line nearly $17,000 in gambling debt allegedly jumped off a ship to avoid paying.
Jey Gonzalez-Diaz, who was booked under the passenger name of “Jeremy Diaz,” was detained by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers around 9:45 a.m. Sunday near the Port of San Juan, after he allegedly jumped off Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas during disembarkation, according to a criminal complaint.
Security footage shows Gonzalez-Diaz being brought to shore by two passing Jet Skis.
CBP officers said they found $14,600 in U.S. currency, one backpack, one handbag, two mobile devices and five identification documents in Gonzalez-Diaz’s possession.
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When asked why he jumped off the ship, he allegedly told officers 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 bring in the currency,” the complaint states.
The cruise line told investigators that Gonzalez-Diaz “had a $16,710.24 debt” that “was almost exclusively associated to Casino and Gaming expenses.”
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The cruise left the Port of San Juan on August 31 before returning on September 7.
According to the court filing, when Gonzalez-Diaz was asked by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents for his full name, he said, “If you guys were good at your job, you would know that.” He then refused to speak with HSI agents further, prosecutors said.
Three of the identification documents that officers recovered had the name “Jeremy Diaz,” which the suspect later told investigators was his brother’s name. Two additional documents had the name “Jey Xander Omar Gonzalez Diaz.”
Gonzalez-Diaz’s brother has been in federal custody since January 2025 at the Metropolitan Detention Center Guaynabo, authorities said.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RCL | ROYAL CARIBBEAN GROUP | 345.52 | +0.26 | +0.08% |
Gonzalez-Diaz faces fines up to $250,000, up to five years in prison or both.
When contacted by FOX Business, a Royal Caribbean spokesperson said that due to the matter being part of an ongoing investigation, they “are working with authorities and don’t have any more information to share.”
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