Rosselló reflects on corruption

On March 28, 2008, Primera Hora carried the reaction of former governor Pedro Rosselló after the federal indictment of Aníbal Acevedo Vilá: “a sad and unfortunate episode… there is no room… to rejoice.”

The note places 19 federal corruption counts for alleged campaign illegalities against Acevedo Vilá and 12 other people linked to the PPD. In all, 27 counts against 13 people across three schemes: ~$140,000 raised through third-party conduits; ~$182,000 via 17 collaborators/businesspeople with false invoices; and an undetermined amount in checks from relatives/employees later reimbursed in cash. Acevedo Vilá could face up to 20 years if found guilty.

Rosselló spoke of a loss of law and order; the piece recalls that more than 40 officials from his own administration were charged or convicted, and that a complaint about his pension did not prosper (José Acevedo Martínez was convicted for false documents). Acevedo Vilá denied the charges and alleged political persecution tied to criticism of the FBI operation against Filiberto Ojeda Ríos; the FBI and prosecutors deny that.

Indictment ≠ conviction. Amounts alleged in the pleading ≠ theft adjudicated in a sentence. Cousin: DOJ filing id 643 (same March indictment).

Source: Primera Hora. https://www.primerahora.com/noticias/puerto-rico/notas/rossello-reflexiona-sobre-corrupcion/