(NEW YORK) — The Justice Department recently unsealed charges against a man who allegedly put a camera inside a bathroom onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship and filmed 150 people, including 40 minors.
Jeremy Froias boarded a Royal Caribbean ship bound for St. Maarten, San Juan and the Bahamas, in Miami on April 29, according to a complaint unsealed last week in federal court in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
“On or about April 30, 2023, when the Harmony was navigating in international waters, Froias installed a hidden Wi-Fi camera in a public bathroom on the aft of the Harmony’s top deck, between the ‘Flow Rider’ surfing simulator and a bar,” an FBI special agent said in a criminal complaint.
That bathroom was a unisex bathroom, according to court documents.
When a passenger reported there was a hidden camera in the bathroom, security found it and reviewed the micro SD card that was inserted into the camera, which allegedly showed Froias adjusting the camera and connecting it to his phone.
“The initial videos depict Froias hiding the camera and adjusting the angle of the camera, so it focuses on the area of the toilet,” the complaint says. “Froias is also seen taking his Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max out of his pocket and appears to have connected the phone to the hidden camera using Wi-Fi. Froias then exits the bathroom.”
More than 150 individuals, including 40 minors, were seen naked or partially naked on camera, the Justice Department alleged, some as young as 4 or 5 years old.
“Individuals are seen coming into the bathroom to either use the toilet or to change into or out of swimsuits,” court documents say. “Froias’ camera captured these individuals in various stages of undress, including capturing videos of their naked genitals, buttocks and female breasts.”
Cruise ship security interviewed Froias, and he allegedly admitted to placing the camera in the bathroom and knew it had been found because he was not able to find it when he went to go get it a day later, court documents state.
Froias is charged with video voyeurism and attempted possession of child exploitation material. He was released on a $25,000 bond by a judge Monday pending trial. He didn’t enter a plea.
The FBI set up a website for anyone who might’ve been a victim to report it to the agency.
“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 form says. “Passengers using this bathroom may have been video recorded by Froias.”
A lawyer for Froias has not yet responded to ABC News’ request for comment.
Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
