The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested a cruise passenger last week after it was discovered that he installed a secret camera in a public bathroom on a cruise ship sailing from Miami on a cruise to the Caribbean.

An affidavit from a FBI agent verified that on April 29th, Jeremy Froias boarded the Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas in Miami for a seven-day cruise to Philipsburg, St. Maarten, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Coco Cay, Bahamas, returning to Miami last Saturday, May 6th. On April 30th, Froias installed a “hidden Wi-Fi camera in a public bathroom on the after of the Harmony’s top deck between the ‘Flow Rider’ surfing stimulator and a bar:

After the camera had been operational for around 24 hours, a passenger noticed the hidden camera in the bathroom and informed the crew. Security personnel then searched the bathroom and found and the hidden camera. The camera had a memory card inserted which included several hours of video files.

Initial videos showed Froias installing the camera and, later, returning to the bathroom to adjust the angle of the camera, focusing the video on the toilet area. The video also shows Froias taking his Apple iPhone 14 Pro-Max out of his pocket and connecting the phone to the hidden camera via Wi-Fi. Froias’s iPhone can be seen in the video, and it appears to be displaying the video feed being captured by the camera.

The videos “depict more than 150 individuals, including what appear to be at least 40 minors. . . Some of the monors appeared to be as young as four or five years old.”

“Individuals are seen coming into the bathroom to either use the toilet or to change into or out of swimsuits. Froias’s camera captured these individuals in various stages of undress, including capturing videos of their naked genitals, buttocks, and female breasts.”

Ship security interviewed Froias who admitted to placing the hidden camera in the bathroom.

Froias has now been charged with 18 USC 1801 (video voyeurism) and 18 USC 2252(a)(5)(B) (attempted possession of child exploitation material).

A number of newspapers in San Juan have covered the disturbing story which has not yet been reported by the media in Miami or the national press.

 The FBI office in San Juan Division is seeking to identify potential victims. The FBI states that it believes the Froias “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. Passengers using this bathroom may have been video recorded by Froias.”

If you and/or your minor dependent(s) were victimized or have information relevant to this investigation, the FBI ask that you please fill out this short form.

This is not the first time that video voyeurism has occurred on a cruise ship. Four years ago, a couple traveling with their young son on the Carnival Fantasy discovered a small video camera hidden in the bundled cables, behind the television in their cabin, which pointed toward their bed.

Just two months ago, a crew member was caught filming women in a children’s bathroom on the MSC Meraviglia.

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Image credit: Harmony of the Seas (top) – kees torn – UNION BEAR, Harmony of the Seas & EN AVANT 20, CC BY-SA 2.0 commons / wikimedia; bathroom and sky camera – FBI via Case 3:23-mj-00487-GLS D.

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By: Jim Walker
Title: FBI: Cruise Guest Arrested For Using Hidden Camera in Public Bathroom on Harmony of the Seas To Videotape More Than 150 Individuals Including At Least 40 Minors
Sourced From: www.cruiselawnews.com/2023/05/articles/passenger-rights/fbi-cruise-guest-arrested-for-using-hidden-camera-in-public-bathroom-on-harmony-of-the-seas-to-videotape-more-than-150-individuals-including-at-least-40-minors/
Published Date: Mon, 08 May 2023 18:37:30 +0000

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