Human Trafficking Council Holds First Meeting, Looks at Creation of $15 Million Budget From Epstein Settlement Proceeds

Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. convened the first meeting of the Virgin Islands Council on Human Trafficking last Wednesday, focusing on developing victim services, raising public awareness and coordinating training for government employees who may come into contact with victims or perpetrators of trafficking.

Human trafficking, defined as the recruitment or transport of individuals through force or deception for labor or sexual exploitation, has been identified as an issue in the Virgin Islands. “It seems distant, but right here in the Virgin Islands, it happens every day,” Bryan said in a press release sent over the weekend.

During Monday’s weekly press briefing, Bryan further detailed that the council will operate with about a $15 million budget funded by the settlement the territory reached with JPMorgan Chase over the bank’s ties to disgraced former financier Jeffrey Epstein. Bryan confirmed Monday that the money does not need to be budgeted by the Legislature as it has already been allocated for this purpose, though moving forward, the council is expected to submit an annual spending plan to the Office of Management and Budget and the Finance Department for approval.

Bryan noted Monday that while the law establishing the council has been on the books for decades, it had become inactive and was recently reassembled. He emphasized that the council would allocate funds for public awareness campaigns, training programs, and direct support for trafficking victims. The council will also work to ensure that resources are available to protect victims, particularly undocumented individuals, from deportation under federal mandates.