A man allegedly secretly recorded 150 people, including scores of children, in the public bathroom of a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, federal authorities said.
The Justice Department has announced the arrest of a man who allegedly installed a secret camera in the public restroom of a Royal Caribbean cruise ship and filmed passengers, including children, using the toilet and changing clothes.
Jeremy Froias boarded the cruise liner in Miami that was headed for St. Maarten, San Juan and the Bahamas, according to a federal complaint unsealed last week in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Once in international waters, Froias allegedly "installed a hidden Wi-Fi camera in a public bathroom" at the rear of the Harmony of the Seas, the complaint alleges. The camera remained in place for just over a day when a passenger discovered it on May 1 and alerted the crew, according to authorities.
The Wi-Fi camera was seized and security officers found a memory card containing "several hours' worth of MP4 video files," the complaint said, including images showing Froias hiding the camera and adjusting the lens so it focused on the toilet area.
"Individuals are seen coming into the bathroom to either use the toilet or to change into or out of swimsuits," the complaint said. "Froias' camera captured these individuals in various stages of undress, including capturing videos of their naked genitals, buttocks and female breasts."
Some 150 people were videotaped, including minors as young as 4, according to federal authorities.
Security officers onboard interviewed Froias, who allegedly acknowledged placing the camera in the bathroom and discovered it was missing, the complaint said.
Froias was charged with video voyeurism and attempted possession of child exploitation material. He was released Monday on $25,000 bail, pending trial. He has not entered a plea.
The FBI has established a website for passengers who believe they may have been filmed. Those people are asked to complete this form.
"The FBI believes he primarily targeted cruise ship passengers between the timeframe of April 30 and May 1, 2023, who may have used the public bathroom on the aft of the Harmony's top deck between the 'Flow Rider' surfing simulator and a bar," the site says. "Passengers using this bathroom may have been video recorded by Froias."
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