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ROME—

Italian police say they have arrested a former lawmaker from the U.S. Virgin Islands on an international warrant accusing him of using $90,000 in public funds for personal use.

Modena police Capt. Luca Treccani said Wayne James was arrested without incident at a friend’s apartment June 29 in Nonantola, outside Modena. He was being held pending extradition proceedings, Treccani said Friday.

Mr. James served as a U.S.V.I. senator between the years 2009-2011.

Mr. James, who once lived in the province of Pisa, sponsored an amateur football team in Italy. He was traced to an apartment in Nonantola, Italy, where he was a guest of some friends in the city of Modena, and was intent on writing a book titled “Manly Manners”, which contains a chapter dedicated to traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena. Mr. James runs a blog with the same title; his most recent blog post being June 21.

The Paper says Mr. James will now sit in prison located in the same Italian city, before being extradited back to the territory.

The one-term senator was mocked by residents for spending taxpayers money for his traveling, and for spending a vast amount of time outside the U.S. Virgin Islands while serving as a legislator.