Albert Bryan Jr.

Albert Bryan
Official portrait, 2019
9th Governor of the United States Virgin Islands
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 7, 2019
LieutenantTregenza Roach
Preceded byKenneth Mapp
Personal details
Born (1968-02-21) February 21, 1968 (age 58)
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
PartyDemocratic
Spouse
Yolanda Cabodevilla
​
​
(m. 1998; div. 2024)​
Children2
EducationWittenberg University (BA)
University of the Virgin Islands (MBA)

Albert Bryan Jr. (born February 21, 1968) is a U.S. Virgin Islander politician and former businessman, serving since 2019 as the ninth governor of the United States Virgin Islands. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as Commissioner of Department of Labor under Governor John deJongh from May 3, 2007 to January 5, 2015.

Early life and education

Bryan was born on the island of St. Thomas. He is the oldest of five sons to Albert Sr. and Genevieve Pilgrim-Bryan. He grew up in the Savan neighborhood of Charlotte Amalie, the territory's capital. As a teenager, Bryan moved to St. Croix, where he graduated from St. Dunstan's Episcopal High School in 1985. Bryan earned his BA in economics from Wittenberg University in 1989. He received a Master of Business Administration from the University of the Virgin Islands in 2003.

Career

In 2007, Governor John de Jongh appointed him to be Commissioner of the Virgin Islands Department of Labor. When de Jongh's term ended in 2015, Bryan returned to the private sector. He was CEO and President of Aabra Group, a consulting firm, and Master Strategies, a recruiting firm. He also was executive director of the Virgin Islands chapter of Junior Achievement.

2018 gubernatorial election

In April 2018, Bryan officially announced his candidacy for governor and chose Tregenza Roach as his running mate. They won the August 4 Democratic primary with 39.23% of the vote, defeating former Finance commissioner Angel E. Dawson Jr. and former Senator Allison "Allie" Petrus. The team campaigned on restoring trust to government, stabilizing the economy, modernizing infrastructure, education, healthcare, reducing crime and poverty, affordable housing, and attracting rum distilleries to rescue GERS. Bryan led the 2018 general election with 38% of the vote and defeated incumbent governor Kenneth Mapp in a runoff with over 55% of the vote. He is the second Democrat to unseat a sitting governor since Charles W. Turnbull in 1998.

2022 gubernatorial election

Bryan launched his reelection bid on May 11, 2022. In the August 6 primary, he defeated Kent Bernier Sr. with 65.04% of the vote. He won the November 8 general election, defeating Senator Kurt Vialet and two other candidates with 56% of the vote.

Political career

Bryan was sworn in as the 9th governor of the United States Virgin Islands by Rhys Hodge, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands on January 7, 2019, at David Monsanto Bandstand, which was built by his grandfather Ulric “Sappy” Pilgrim in Emancipation Gardens on St. Thomas. Before the ceremony, Bryan and his family attended an inaugural Mass at Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral. The inauguration proceed with military parades and inaugural balls held on all three islands.

Governorship

Upon assuming office, Bryan announced his senior staff and pledged to fill his cabinet within 90 days. Early administrative actions included securing a FEMA extension for the STEP hurricane recovery program and declaring a mental healthcare state of emergency due to a territorial shortage of psychiatrists. On January 19, 2019, Bryan signed the Virgin Islands Medicinal Cannabis Patient Care Act into law, and later proposed legalizing recreational marijuana to generate revenue for the Government Employees' Retirement System (GERS), resubmitting the proposal in May 2020 after initial legislative resistance. In 2019, Bryan cleared all outstanding government debt to the Virgin Islands Water & Power Authority (WAPA) and purchased four new generators to combat rolling blackouts. In 2021, he filed suit to block legislation reducing the WAPA board's size, and in April 2024 declared a state of emergency for WAPA following widespread outages. In October 2022, Bryan announced the V.I. Slice homeownership program. On January 19, 2023, Bryan signed the Equality Act prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, and in 2024 introduced legislation allowing individuals to change their gender on identifying documents.

COVID-19 pandemic

Bryan declared a state of emergency on March 13, 2020, implementing business closures and travel testing requirements. In-person schooling was suspended for the remainder of the 2019–2020 school year.

What is your overall opinion on Governor Albert Bryan’s handling of COVID-19?
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin
of error		 Respondents Approve Disapprove
VI Tech Stack April 4–5, 2020 600 ± 3.99% Territory-wide
St. Thomas-St. John
St. Croix		 59%
63%
54%		 25%
25%
32%

During his tenure as governor, Bryan faced significant scrutiny regarding his administration's handling of litigation involving Jeffrey Epstein and the territory's historical financial relationship with Epstein's entities.

Economic Development Commission (EDC) Tax Incentives

According to unsealed federal court filings from June 2023, Epstein's companies—specifically Southern Trust Company and Financial Trust Company—were granted approximately $300 million in tax benefits by the Virgin Islands government between 1999 and 2018. The filings detailed that $219.8 million in benefits were awarded between 1999 and 2012, followed by an additional $80.6 million from 2013 to 2018. Bryan concurrently served as the Commissioner of the Virgin Islands Department of Labor and as the Chairman of the Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority (EDA) Board from 2007 to 2015, the body responsible for overseeing the certification of these tax incentives.

Attorney General Transitions and Allegations of Interference

Bryan's administration oversaw the departure of three successive Attorneys General during the height of the territory's litigation against Epstein's estate and his financial partners.

  • 2026 FBI Release: According to a four-page FBI interview memorandum released on January 30, 2026, former Attorney General Denise George alleged that Bryan had pressured her regarding Epstein's sex offender status within two weeks of her 2019 appointment. The memo quotes a text message from Bryan stating, "you need to make a decision on the Epstein matter," in reference to Epstein's request for a waiver from travel reporting requirements. George further alleged that Bryan expressed anger that she was "going after people who are members of our team" and later instructed her to settle the estate litigation for $80 million, a figure significantly lower than the $105 million she eventually secured.
  • Termination of Denise George: On December 31, 2022, Bryan terminated George four days after she filed a major lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase for allegedly facilitating Epstein's sex-trafficking operation. Bryan publicly stated he was "blindsided" by the lawsuit and asserted that no attorney general should file such an action without notifying the Governor's office.
  • Successive Resignations: Following George's firing, Acting Attorney General Carol Thomas-Jacobs executed a January 2023 settlement agreement with billionaire Leon Black that granted him a "total release" from all territory claims, including unknown future claims. Shortly after the settlement was finalized, Bryan appointed Thomas-Jacobs to a lifetime judgeship on the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands. Her successor, Ariel K. Smith, resigned in March 2024 at Bryan's "specific request," a move the Governor characterized as a lack of "philosophical alignment" between his office and the Department of Justice.

JPMorgan "Unclean Hands" Defense

In federal court filings, JPMorgan Chase pursued an "unclean hands" defense, alleging that the USVI government actively harbored and shielded Epstein for two decades. The bank's filings differentiated between individuals connected to separate administrations, noting that Cecile de Jongh, wife of former Governor John de Jongh, had served as the office manager for Epstein's Southern Trust Company for eight years. The filings further alleged that the Governor's former wife, Yolanda Bryan, had been involved in efforts to procure student visas for individuals associated with Epstein during Bryan's tenure.

Beyond the Epstein litigation, Bryan's administration has faced separate ethical and legal challenges regarding local procurement and campaign finance.

In 2020, the Bryan administration was criticized for attempting to award a $1 million no-bid contract for COVID-19 contact tracing to Avera Tech, a startup co-founded by his daughter, Aliyah Bryan, and a former campaign intern. Senators criticized the Health Department for circumventing standard procurement processes, and the contract was ultimately dropped following public outcry and a legislative probe.

In 2023, the Elections System of the Virgin Islands fined the Bryan-Roach campaign $2,000 for holding an illegal "international virtual fundraiser" in September 2022. The event featured the Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit, as a "special guest," violating Title 18 of the V.I. Code, which prohibits foreign officials from fundraising or endorsing U.S. candidates.

In November 2023, Bryan filed for divorce from his wife, Yolanda Bryan, and successfully petitioned the V.I. Superior Court to seal the case in its entirety. The decision to remove case ST-2023-DI-00113 from the public docket faced scrutiny because the presiding judge was up for reappointment to the bench by the Governor in 2024.

Cabinet

Government House Staff

Chief of Staff Kevin Williams
Karl Knight (2019-2024)
Chief Legal Counsel Richard Evangelista
David Bornn (2019-2022)
Director of Communications Richard Motta
Agency Commissioner/Director
Department of Finance Kevin McCurdy
Clarina Modeste-Elliott (acting)
Bosede Bruce (2021–2023)
Kirk Callwood (2019–2020)
OMB Julio Rhymer
Kimika Woods (acting)
Jenifer O’Neal (2019–2024)
Department of Education Dionne Wells-Hendrington
Racquel Berry-Benjamin (2019–2022)
Department of Sports, Parks & Recreation Vincent Roberts (acting)
Calvert White (2019–2025)
Department of Public Works Derek Gabriel
Nelson Petty (2015–2021)
Department of Justice Gordon C. Rhea
Ian Clement (acting)
Ariel Smith (2023–2024)
Carol Thomas-Jacobs (acting)
Denise George (2019–2023)
Department of Labor Gary Molloy
Bureau of Internal Revenue Joel Lee
Department of Property & Procurement Lisa Alejandro
Anthony Thomas (2019–2023)
Virgin Islands Police Department Mario Brooks
Ray Martinez (2021–2024)
Trevor Velinor (2019–2021)
Department of Tourism Jenifer Matarangas-King (2025-present)
Joseph Boschulte (2019–2025)
Department of Human Services Averil George
Kimberley Causey-Gomez (2019–2023)
Department of Health Justa Encarnacion
Department of Personnel Cindy Richardson
Dayna Clendinen (2019–2021)
Bureau of Motor Vehicles Barbara McIntosh
Virgin Islands Fire Department Antonio Stevens
Darryl George (2019–2023)
Office of Veteran Affairs Patrick Farrell
Bureau of Corrections Wynnie Testamark
Department of Agriculture Dr. Louis Petersen
Positive Nelson (2019–2023)
Department of Planning & Natural Resources Jean Pierre Oriol
Virgin Islands Energy Office Michael Jaffurs (2026-present)
Kyle Fleming (2019-2026)
Bureau of Information Technology Rupert Ross
Office of Collective Bargaining Joss Springette
VITEMA Daryl Jaschen
Department of Licensing & Consumer Affairs Nathalie Hodge
Richard Evangelista (2019–2023)
Law Enforcement Planning Commission Moleto Smith
Angela Campbell (2021–2024)
Ray Martinez (2019–2021)
Virgin Islands National Guard Col. Kodjo Knox-Limbacker

Proposed legislation

  • January 28, 2019: A bill allowing the attorney general to serve for six-year terms.
  • October 25, 2019: The Virgin Islands Emergency Medical Services System Act to merge Fire Services with EMS.
  • December 2, 2019: An amendment called “Virgin Islands Cannabis Use Act” to the enacted Medicinal Cannabis Patient Care Act
  • January 16, 2020: The Virgin Islands Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Act
  • May 19, 2020: Virgin Islands Cannabis Use Act (resubmitted amended version to 33rd Legislature)
  • August 11, 2020: Matching Fund Securitization Act
  • August 15, 2022: A bill to increase the amount of funding for retroactive wages from $25 million to $40 million to repay government employees. (Senate approved: 08/30/2022; enacted by governor: 09/16/2022)

Travels

No. Date(s) Destination Reason
1 January 17–18, 2019 Miami, Florida Met with cruise ship executives of Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Disney Cruise Line, and MSC Cruises
2 January 29–30, 2019 San Juan, Puerto Rico Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Action Network meeting on Post-Disaster Recovery
3 February 21–27, 2019 Washington, D.C. NGA Winter meeting
4 March 26, 2019 Puerto Rico Visited FEMA Distribution Center in Bayamon and met with Governor Ricardo Rosselló in San Juan.
5 April 4–11, 2019 Miami, Florida, Washington, D.C. Seatrade Cruise Global Conference in Miami and met with FEMA Administrator Peter Gaynor in Washington, D.C.
6 May 8, 2019 Atlanta, Georgia Met with Delta Air Lines
7 May 21–23, 2019 Miami, Florida Caribbean Hotel & Resort Investment Summit
8 June 29–30, 2019 St. Kitts St. Kitts Music Festival
9 July 7–9, 2019 Orlando, Florida Met with Margaritaville Enterprises
10 July 15–16, 2019 West Palm Beach Met with Cigna
11 September 20–22, 2019 Washington, D.C. Meetings with federal agencies
12 October 25-November 9, 2019 Washington, D.C. Meetings with members of Congress and federal agencies
13 December 5–9, 2019 Washington, D.C. Job for America's Graduates annual meeting
14 February 4, 2020 Tortola Inter-Virgin Islands Council conference
15 February 7–11, 2020 Washington, D.C. NGA Winter meeting
16 July 8–12, 2021 Atlanta, Georgia Hosted a government job recruitment fair for Virgin Islanders living abroad to return home.
17 July 27-August 1, 2021 Miami, Florida Met with transportation and shipping companies
18 October 23–29, 2021 Denver, Colorado To learn about the cannabis industry
19 January 28-February 2, 2022 Washington, D.C. NGA Winter meeting
20 March 31-April 7, 2022 Minneapolis, Washington, D.C. Attended Women's NCAA Final Four in Minneapolis to see Aliyah Boston followed by official meetings in Washington, D.C.
21 April 12–19, 2022 Washington, D.C., Miami, Florida Attended National Conference for Workforce Development in D.C. and spent Easter with family in Miami.
22 March 27-April 1, 2023 Taiwan
23 May 2, 2023 Boston Attended Boston Red Sox Game.
24 July 18, 2023 Las Vegas, Nevada Attended Basketball event in Las Vegas, Nevada
25 September 12, 2023 New York Attended New York Jets Game.
26 September 19, 2023 - October 2, 2023 Chicago, Illinois Took government officials on trip to discuss marijuana and other matters.
27 November 20–26, 2023 Location and Reason for Expenditures Undisclosed to Public
28 May 13, 2024 Hawaii Attended Conference in Hawaii While the Virgin Islands faced an energy crisis.
29 July 15–21, 2024 Royal Caribbean Cruise Attended the inaugural sail of Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas at the invitation of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.

Personal life

The FBI arrested both of Bryan's parents on charges of stealing various expensive items after Hurricane Hugo devastated St. Croix.

Bryan and his ex-wife, Yolanda Cabodevilla, were married in 1998. They have since divorced. They have two daughters, Aliyah and Sumuyah.[citation needed] Bryan has been dating a Government of the Virgin Islands employee (who he appointed to her position) for several years, which has raised ethical concerns.

Bryan lives in Government House in Christiansted on St. Croix. In March 2019, the West Indian Company authorized monthly rent payments of $3,500 for a condo where Bryan would stay while on St. Thomas on behalf of his request.[citation needed]

References

  1. 1 2 "Governor Bryan". Government of the United States Virgin Islands. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Albert Bryan Picks Sen. Tregenza Roach as Gubernatorial Running Mate". St. Thomas Source. April 23, 2018. Archived from the original on March 9, 2022. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Albert Bryan And Tregenza Roach Win Democratic Primary". VI Consortium. Archived from the original on July 24, 2021. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Albert Bryan Becomes Ninth Elected Governor Of US Virgin Islands". VI Consortium. November 20, 2018. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Bryan and Roach announce bid for reelection". Virgin Islands Daily News. May 11, 2022. Archived from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Bryan Routs Vialet in Gubernatorial Race, Winning Reelection". VI Consortium. November 8, 2022. Archived from the original on November 18, 2022. Retrieved November 24, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Bryan, Roach take oath in Emancipation Garden". January 8, 2019. Archived from the original on March 7, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  8. ↑ "New governor names senior staff". USVI News. January 10, 2019.
  9. ↑ "Bryan Promised A Complete Cabinet In 90 Days, 97 Days Later, V.I.P.D., Human Services, Still Without Commissioners". The Virgin Islands Consortium.
  10. ↑ "FEMA Approves Bryan's Request For Extension Of Home Repair Program". The Virgin Islands Consortium. January 30, 2019.
  11. ↑ "Gov. Bryan Declares 'Mental Healthcare Emergency' Due To Shortage Of Psychiatrists". Virgin Islands Free Press. March 10, 2019.
  12. ↑ "Governor Signs Bill Legalizing Medical Marijuana In The U.S. Virgin Islands". Marijuana Moment. January 19, 2019.
  13. ↑ "Bryan Applies Pressure On Senate To Legalize Marijuana To Save Retirement System". 284 Media. May 20, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Government's Outstanding Debt to WAPA Paid Off, Bryan Says". St. Thomas Source. August 14, 2019. Archived from the original on June 28, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Bryan, WAPA aim to lower utility bills 5 cents by 2021". Virgin Islands Daily News. April 27, 2019.
  16. ↑ "Bryan Sues to Stop WAPA Board Changes". St. Thomas Source. September 2, 2021. Archived from the original on September 28, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Bryan declares state of emergency, citing WAPA blackouts, debt". Virgin Islands Daily News. April 23, 2024.
  18. ↑ "Bryan Announces 'V.I. Slice', a New Homeownership Program". The Virgin Islands Consortium. October 20, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Bryan Signs 19 Bills into Law from 34th Legislature, Vetoes 7". St. Thomas Source. February 2, 2023.
  20. ↑ "Bryan proposes legislation to allow for change of gender designation on identifying documents". St. Thomas Source. June 10, 2024.
  21. ↑ "Gov. Bryan Declares State of Emergency, Cancels St. Patrick's Day Parade, Says Carnival 'Will Most Likely' Be Canceled in Response to Coronavirus Pandemic". VI Consortium. March 13, 2020. Archived from the original on October 20, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  22. ↑ "Bryan Announces Cancelation of In-Person School Classes for Remainder of School Year". VI Consortium. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  23. 1 2 3 4 Stempel, Jonathan (June 21, 2023). "Jeffrey Epstein got $300 million tax breaks, paid US Virgin Islands police, JPMorgan says". Reuters. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  24. ↑ "Albert Bryan Jr. - DGA". Democratic Governors Association. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  25. ↑ "Politician profile: Albert Bryan Jr". Pasquines. August 26, 2025. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
  26. 1 2 3 4 "'I Can't Get You to Let This Go? ' Epstein Documents Shed Light on Former V.I. Attorney General's Ouster". St. Thomas Source. January 30, 2026. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
  27. ↑ Meisenzahl, Mary (January 3, 2023). "US Virgin Islands governor ousts attorney general after she sued JPMorgan Chase". Business Insider. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
  28. ↑ "Settlement Agreement and Release - Leon Black". U.S. Senate Committee on Finance. January 20, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
  29. ↑ "Bryan Nominates Carol Thomas-Jacobs for Judgeship". VI Consortium. April 14, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
  30. ↑ "Bryan Says AG's Office Isn't Only Gov't Arm That's Churned Leaders". VI Consortium. March 18, 2024. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  31. 1 2 "JP Morgan claims US Virgin Islands 'complicit' in Jeffrey Epstein crimes". The Guardian. May 23, 2023. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  32. ↑ Source Staff (July 24, 2020). "Bryan Defends Contract to Daughter's Firm". St. Thomas Source. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
  33. ↑ Lee, Bethaney (July 21, 2020). "Senators Say Health Department Didn't Follow Procurement Process". St. Thomas Source. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
  34. 1 2 Dimich-Louvet, Jesse (August 9, 2023). "US Virgin Islands Governor Bryan facing controversy over involvement in British Virgin Islands politics". Pasquines. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
  35. ↑ "Court Grants Bryan's Request to Seal Divorce Proceedings". V.I. News. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
  36. ↑ "USVI's Gov Bryan's divorce to proceed under seal & out of public". Virgin Islands News Online. January 4, 2024. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
  37. ↑ "N/A" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
  38. ↑ "U.S. Virgin Islands Special Economic Envoy to Taiwan Anthony Weeks called on Director General Chou". Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Miami. March 27, 2023. Archived from the original on September 8, 2023. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  39. ↑ "Bryan Kicks Off Red Sox/Blue Jays Game with Ceremonial First Pitch at Fenway Park". The Virgin Islands Consortium. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  40. ↑ "Aliyah Boston Partners With USVI". November 29, 2021.
  41. ↑ "Bryan Takes Two-Week Trip for High-Level Meetings in Washington and Cannabis Conference in Chicago". The Virgin Islands Consortium. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  42. ↑ "Bryan and Roach Out of Territory for Thanksgiving; Gov't Employees Get Friday Off". The Virgin Islands Consortium. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  43. ↑ "Bryan attends the National Governor's Association (NGA) Energy Security, Resilience and Recovery Roundtable meeting". The Virgin Islands Consortium. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  44. ↑ "Governor Bryan to Join Royal Caribbean's 'Utopia of the Seas' Inaugural Cruise". The Virgin Islands Consortium. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  45. ↑ Branigin, William (October 31, 1989). "Hurricane Hugo Haunts Virgin Islands". WashingtonPost.com. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  46. ↑ Gilbert, Ernice (March 4, 2025). "Rose-Anne Farrington Reflects on Public Relationship with Governor Bryan, Parenthood, and Professional Growth During Live With Laura Show". viconsortium.com. Retrieved May 16, 2025.