Biden staying at the Villa Sainte-Croix of wealthy donors who were invited to a state dinner
President Biden will ring in 2023 on the tropical island, home of wealthy business owners Bill and Connie Neville – who earlier this month were among the select group admitted to the President’s first State Dinner at the House White.
The Nevilles made the 338-guest list for the Dec. 1 gathering of billionaires, celebrities and politicians honoring French President Emmanuel Macron after previously loaning their three-bedroom beachfront villa to Biden.
Biden traveled to St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands on Tuesday night with first lady Jill Biden and other family members to celebrate the New Year — and possibly decide whether or not to launch a re-election bid in 2024. He left the freezing continent of the United States after a winter explosion over Christmas weekend killed at least 65 people and canceled more than 10,000 flights.
It’s unclear whether the vacation was planned before or after Biden treated the Nevilles to the lavish banquet at taxpayer expense – but the first family isn’t paying for use of the home, which includes an in-ground pool, landscaping lush landscaping and sweeping views, plus direct beach access.
“[First son] Hunter’s laptop and other evidence show Biden converted his public office into private gain,” said Tom Fitton, chairman of conservative transparency group Judicial Watch. “So it’s no surprise that Biden is getting a free luxury vacation from a wealthy donor who was ‘coincidentally’ given tickets to the White House primo state dinner.”
Biden has stayed at Neville’s home on “numerous” occasions, according to a VRBO listing that advertises a daily rate starting at $700 for regular guests.
Bill Neville, 60, is the founder of US newsroom software company Viking, which creates a news content platform called ENPS, marketed by The Associated Press. He and Connie, 59, are from Alabama.
Viking’s ENPS software is used by 800 media outlets, including the BBC and ESPN, according to a profile from the US Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority.
The Nevilles donated more than $10,000 to Biden’s 2020 campaign and the Biden Victory Fund, according to Federal Election Commission records. They also donated to an array of other elected officials, including Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Joe Manchin (D-WV).
The Nevilles were contacted by The Post for comment both through a Virgin Islands estate agent they work with, as well as through a friend.
The realtor said Tuesday the couple did not wish to identify themselves or disclose their financial arrangement with the Bidens and referred Post questions to the White House on Wednesday.
“As they have done before, the president and first lady are staying with friends Bill and Connie Neville,” an administration official confirmed to The Post.
Biden has a history of staying with wealthy supporters for free, which raises ethical issues.
The president’s vacation is a possibility for scrutiny by House Republicans, who pledge to probe the Biden family’s finances when they regain a majority next week.
Biden previously stayed for free at the nine rooms on Kiawah Island, SC, home of donor Maria Allwin, where he vacationed several times as vice president beginning in 2009.
A source close to Allwin said at the time that the first couple “expressed an interest” in Allwin for a visit and asked to use his home. Maria, the widow of hedge fund founder James Allwin, agreed.
“They never paid,” the source told the Post.
Biden has twice stayed as president at the Nantucket home of billionaire David Rubenstein, co-founder of private equity group Carlyle, likely for free.
If Biden receives free housing, he is supposed to disclose it on the annual financial disclosure forms that are made public in May. The form requires the president and vice president to disclose free accommodation worth more than $390. Ethics experts say the “personal hospitality” reporting exception on this form does not cover instances where the owner is not present.
Biden visited St. Croix at least five times between 2014 and 2016, according to local reports — plus at least one additional time less than four months before the launch of his presidential campaign in 2019. It’s unclear if he has stayed at Neville’s home on each of these occasions or if additional visits have not been reported.
Biden did not disclose any gifted Neville accommodations on annual forms while he was vice president – though he also omitted known free trips to Kiawah Island from the forms.
The Nevilles’ recent state dinner wasn’t the first. They also attended the 2015 State Dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping around the time they began sharing their beach house with President Barack Obama’s second-in-command.
House Republicans say they plan to open investigations next year into whether Biden corruptly profited from his public service, including through his son Hunter’s foreign business dealings and of his brother James Biden, especially in countries where Joe Biden has had influence as vice president, such as China. and Ukraine.
Hunter Biden said in communications recovered from an old laptop that he paid up to ‘half’ of his income to his father and a 2017 email described 10% for the ‘big guy’ in a deal trade under negotiation in China. Two former associates of Hunter Biden identified Joe Biden as the big guy.