DOJ: second indictment against Acevedo Vilá — honest services and laundering

On August 19, 2008, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that a federal grand jury in San Juan issued a five-count indictment against Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá, adviser Luisa Inclán Bird and former campaign finance director Miguel Nazario Franco for honest services wire fraud and conspiracy to launder money. It was announced by Matthew Friedrich (Acting Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division) and U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez (USAO-PR). The release stresses that this indictment follows another of March 24, 2008 against the same defendants and others for related offenses.

According to the indictment, in counts 1–4 the defendants allegedly deprived citizens of Acevedo Vilá’s honest services as governor: during the campaign and once elected, Acevedo Vilá and associates allegedly solicited and received about $250,000 from a local businessman (“Collaborator 18”) for Acevedo Vilá’s and his campaign’s benefit; already in La Fortaleza, Acevedo Vilá allegedly took official acts favoring that collaborator’s businesses without disclosing the financial relationship. Count 5 alleges conspiracy to conceal the origin of those funds.

The document describes false invoices for about $250,000 from the campaign’s media company, presented to the collaborator’s company as if real services had been rendered, to disguise payments covering campaign debts. If convicted, each defendant faces up to 20 years and a $250,000 fine on counts 1–4; on the fifth, up to 20 years and a fine of twice the value or $500,000 (whichever is greater).

Prosecutors María A. Domínguez and Ernesto López (USAO-PR) with Daniel A. Schwager, Ethan H. Levisohn and Peter M. Koski (Public Integrity); investigated by FBI and IRS, with Comptroller cooperation. DOJ clarifies: an indictment is a formal accusation, not proof; the accused is presumed innocent until conviction. Indictment ≠ conviction. Primary: DOJ 2008-08-19.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice. https://www.justice.gov/archive/opa/pr/2008/August/08-crm-733.html