Couple who visited Aruba convicted in multimillion-dollar fraud

ORANJESTAD — A couple who traveled between Colombia and Aruba in 2024 have been convicted in the United States of fraudulently obtaining more than $1.62 million from programs intended to help elderly and disabled people and people experiencing homelessness.

According to Emma Caplan-Fisher’s article, citing U.S. authorities, Jael Watts, 45, of New Jersey, and Luis Pino-Copete, 42, of Colombia, used Pearl Transit Corporation to seek more than $13 million in federal funding. The company submitted false claims for transportation services it never provided, using stolen identities and fabricated records.

The couple spent heavily on travel, luxury clothing and Porsche rentals. Aruba is mentioned as one of their travel destinations; the information presented does not indicate that the fraud was committed in Aruba.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 21, 2027. They face prison terms, fines and restitution.