Turbulent seas ahead, as a passenger decided to jump overboard from his cruise, with suspicions it was to avoid his $16,000 gambling debts. Jey Xander Omar Gonzalez-Diaz has now been picked up by federal prosecutors after he reportedly tried to escape his debts in Puerto Rico’s San Juan dock.
This all happened on the Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas, where Gonzalez-Diaz was saved from the waters by jet-skis. When he was scooped out of the ocean, he was found to have nearly $15,000 in cash on his person.
While it’s suspected he threw himself overboard to avoid the gambling debts accrued on the ship, he was charged with trying to transport over $10,000 outside the US. Police found that he was carrying $14,600 in cash at the time.
When interviewed by investigators, Gonzalez-Diaz claims that “he did not want to report the currency in his possession because he thought he was going to be taxed duties for bringing in the currency.”
According to reports, Gonzalez-Diaz owed the Royal Caribbean $16,710.24, which the criminal allegations filed against him state are “almost exclusively associated with Casino and Gaming expenses.”
The case isn’t over, however. NBC News reports that a Royal Caribbean spokesperson has declined the comment, as it’s an active investigation:
“… as this is an ongoing investigation, we are working with authorities and don’t have any more information to share.”
Fake names, multiple IDs found on cruise ship jumper
It’s also reported that Gonzalez-Diaz booked the cruise under the name “Jeremy Diaz”. When asked by Homeland Security agents for his full name, he refused to cooperate and said that, “If you guys were good at your job, you would know that.”
Cruise ship passenger in Puerto Rico jumps overboard allegedly to avoid $16,000 gambling debt. https://t.co/I9r4a6Y2hl
— CBS News (@CBSNews) September 10, 2025
These reports, stemming from CBS, which obtained the documents, claim that he had a backpack, a handbag, two mobile devices, and five pieces of identification.
Gonzalez-Diaz has since been released on bail, according to Wapa.tv. If found guilty, he may face a $250,000 fine, a five-year prison sentence, or both.
Featured image: Michel Curi / CC BY 2.0
The post Man jumps overboard from cruise after racking up $16,000 in gambling debts appeared first on ReadWrite.
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