The Harmony of the Seas cruise ship, one of the largest in the world, with its multi-deck waterslides, ziplines and surfing simulators, is a favorite among families. But the discovery of a hidden camera in a public bathroom on a recent sailing has many passengers questioning their enthusiasm after the FBI said minors as young as 4 or 5 years old had been victims of onboard video voyeurism.
According to an FBI affidavit in support of the indictment and the arrest warrant, on April 30, a day after the Royal Caribbean ship departed Miami for a seven-night cruise to the eastern Caribbean, a man identified as Jeremy Froias allegedly hid a Wi-Fi connection. camera in a bathroom on the upper deck, with the lens aimed at the toilet. The bathroom was located close to one of the ship’s surfing simulators, and many passengers used it to change into their swimsuits.
A day later, the camera was spotted by a passenger who reported it to the ship’s security personnel. They found hours of footage showing more than 150 people, including what appears to be at least 40 minors — some of whom were at least partially naked, the indictment document said.
The ship stopped in Puerto Rico, where FBI Mr. Froias was arrested and charged with video voyeurism and attempted possession of child exploitation material.
“People enter the bathroom to go to the toilet or to put on or take off swimsuits,” the affidavit says. “Froias’ camera captured these individuals in various stages of undress, including capturing videos of their naked genitals, buttocks and female breasts.”
Mr. Froias is a former cybersecurity officer for the City of Kissimmee in Central Florida. Footage from the camera shows Mr. Froia installing the device, the affidavit said. During an interview with the cruise ship’s security personnel on May 1, he admitted to placing the camera in the bathroom, according to court documents.
Leo Aldridge, a San Juan attorney representing Mr. Froias, declined to answer questions about the case. “Mr. Froias has not been charged at this time. As no formal charges have been filed at this time, we therefore have no comment,” he said in a written statement.
The FBI has not responded to a request for comment.
Mr. Froias appeared this week for a detention hearing in Puerto Rico, and a federal judge ordered his release on the condition that he post a $25,000 bond, wear an electronic surveillance device and surrender his passport. He is not allowed to use the internet or have unsupervised contact with minors under the age of 18, including his two children.
Jim Walker, a Miami-based maritime attorney who has represented victims in other voyeurism cases, questioned the bail amount. “A bail of $25,000 might be appropriate for a single victim, but given that there are at least 150 victims and many dozens of children, bail should not be less than $1,000,000,” the FBI statement said. he said. He said he was approached by passengers aboard the Harmony of the Seas during the incident.
Passengers said Royal Caribbean failed to notify them of the hidden camera during and after sailing. They said they found out through the media and an FBI message to identify potential victims.
“It is terrifying that passengers and their children were secretly filmed naked in the bathroom,” said April Wise, 52, who was on the cruise with her husband and niece. “Luckily we didn’t use that bathroom, but thousands of people were on the ship and they still don’t know if they were filmed or not. It is unacceptable that Royal Caribbean has not contacted the victims.”
Royal Caribbean declined to comment, but emailed a statement saying: “We are aware of an incident that occurred aboard the April 29 Harmony of the Seas cruise. The matter was immediately reported to local and federal law enforcement and the guest involved was removed from the ship by authorities for further investigation. As this is an active case, we are unable to share further details at this time.”
It is not the first time such an incident has occurred on a cruise ship. In March, an MSC Cruises crew member was caught filming women in a toilet. In 2017, a family found a hidden camera pointing to their bed in their stateroom aboard the Carnival Fantasy, but upon investigation, the cruise line said the camera was not working.
“It’s so easy these days for predators to buy small, cheap cameras,” Ms Wise said. “Checking for them should be part of cruise ship security protocol.”
Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram And sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on smarter travel and inspiration for your next vacation. Are you dreaming of a future getaway or just traveling in your lounge chair? Check out our 52 places to go in 2023.