USVI Department of Justice

AG Gordon Rhea Warns Residents of Investment Scams on Meta Platforms

Attorney General Gordon C. Rhea issued an investor alert warning U.S. Virgin Islands residents about a surge of fraudulent investment schemes on Meta platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. As part of a multistate coalition, the AG joined efforts urging Meta to strengthen action against scammers using deceptive ads and deepfake technology. The alert describes pump-and-dump operations, confidence schemes, and fraudulent cryptocurrency investments, and provides contact information for reporting suspicious activity to the V.I. Department of Justice Special Investigations Division or the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs.

AG Rhea Releases PSA for Alcohol Responsibility Month

USVI Attorney General Gordon Rhea has released a public service announcement in partnership with Responsibility.org as part of Alcohol Responsibility Month in April 2026. The PSA encourages families to have ongoing conversations about alcohol risks and youth mental health, continuing a nationwide initiative supported by attorneys general for over two decades. The campaign reaches millions through digital platforms and social media as part of impaired driving and underage drinking prevention efforts. This announcement carries no regulatory or compliance requirements and imposes no obligations on regulated entities. It represents informational public health messaging from a state/territorial attorney general's office with no binding legal effect.

AG Rhea Joins Coalition Urging Federal Xylazine Controls

V.I. Attorney General Gordon C. Rhea joined a bipartisan coalition of 40 attorneys general in urging Congress to pass the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act. The proposed federal legislation would classify xylazine—a non-opioid veterinary tranquilizer increasingly mixed with illicit opioids like fentanyl—as a controlled substance, enabling DEA tracking of manufacturing, preventing diversion, and mandating public reporting. The coalition argues this classification would give law enforcement critical tools to combat the rising threat of xylazine-linked overdose deaths.