A Royal Caribbean passenger allegedly leapt into the waters off San Juan in a failed bid to escape more than $16,000 in gambling debts, turning what began as a Caribbean vacation into a federal criminal case.
Authorities say Jey Xander Omar Gonzalez-Diaz jumped from Rhapsody of the Seas on Sunday, September 7, at around 9:15 a.m., just as passengers were disembarking and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers were conducting routine inspections.
Security cameras captured Gonzalez-Diaz plunging into the harbor before being pulled from the water by two jet ski riders who brought him ashore near the Puerto Rico Capitol Building. CBP officers quickly detained him.
Royal Caribbean confirmed Gonzalez-Diaz owed $16,710.24, nearly all from casino charges made during the week-long Southern Caribbean cruise. The ship’s Casino Royale boasts 177 slot machines and 10 gaming tables, with passengers allowed to charge up to $10,000 per day to their onboard accounts for gambling.
Gonzalez-Diaz had boarded the vessel on August 31, with stops that included Barbados before returning to San Juan.
When taken into custody, Gonzalez-Diaz was carrying $14,600 in cash, two cell phones, and five identification documents under various names, including “Jeremy Diaz” and “Jey Xander Omar Gonzalez Diaz.”
Federal prosecutors charged him with attempting to avoid currency reporting requirements, which mandate that travelers declare amounts over $10,000 when entering the United States. Gonzalez-Diaz allegedly told officers in Spanish that he jumped because “he did not want to report the currency… because he thought he was going to be taxed duties.”
The case grew murkier when investigators discovered Gonzalez-Diaz had booked the cruise as “Jeremy Diaz.” Records show a Jeremy Omar Gonzalez-Diaz has been in federal custody since January 2025 on drug and weapons charges. The suspect claimed this was his brother, but declined further questioning, telling Homeland Security agents: “If you guys were good at your job, you would know that.”
Gonzalez-Diaz has been released on bail. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Royal Caribbean declined to comment on the specifics of the incident, saying only that the company is “working with authorities.”
This marks the second high-profile overboard case for Royal Caribbean in recent months. In July, a crew member aboard Icon of the Seas died after leaping overboard following a violent altercation. In August, a passenger fell off a dock while photographing Star of the Seas.
Industry records show 212 overboard incidents between 2009 and 2019, with only about 28% resulting in rescues.
The San Juan case underscores both the risks of high-stakes gambling on cruise ships and the severe consequences of trying to circumvent U.S. financial disclosure laws.
