by Tamara Lytle
WASHINGTON - Puerto Rico Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila and 12 others were indicted in a case related to his political campaign fund-raising, the U.S. Justice Department announced this morning.
Charges for the 13 defendants include conspiracy, false statements, wire fraud, federal program fraud and tax crimes.
"Our democratic system cannot function when public officials act as though they are above the law. Public officials must comply with the law and those who do not comply will be held accountable," said Luis Fraticelli, special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office.
The case involves Acevedo Vila's successful 2004 gubernatorial campaign and 2000 and 2002 campaigns for resident commissioner, which is Puerto Rico's representative in the U.S. Congress.
The indictment unsealed today, which was returned by a grand jury in San Juan Monday, paints a picture of illegal campaign donations that were then covered up.
A group of Philadelphia businessmen, for instance, allegedly solicited donations for the governor from family and staff and then illegally repaid those donors. Acevedo Vila then helped those businessmen win contracts for Puerto Rico's government, the indictment says.
(Photo from official Puerto Rico website)
The indictment also lays out an alleged scheme to defraud Puerto Rico of $7 million in public campaign funds for candidates who agree to spending caps even though Acevedo Vila and his associates allegedly spent and raised more than allowed and then covered it up,
Acevedo Vila also is charged with accepting personal income "related to his campaigns or official position" that he did not report on his tax return, according to the Department of Justice.
The others indicted include Pennsylvania residents Candido Negron Mella, Salvatore Avanzato, Robert Feldman, and Marvin Block. In San Juan, those indicted include Jorge Velasco Mella, Ramon Velasco Escardille, Miguel Nazario Franco, Also indicted were: Acevedo' Vila's legal adviser Luisa Inclan Bird, his 2004 finance director Ricardo Colon Padilla, a former staffer from his Washington office Eneidy Coreano Salgado and a former assistant campaign treasurer Edwin Colon Rodriguez.
Tamara Lytle is chief Washington correspondent for the Orlando Sentinel.
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Comments
Wow! And this Puerto Rico Governor had endorsed Barack Obama. Obama has met with the Puerto Rico Governor and used him and these cohorts to help him with fundraising.
First Rezko and now this. Why am I not surprised that more Obama buddies are now being indicted for corruption?
Posted by: US Veteran | March 27, 2008 10:56 AM
This guy is a Obama supporter who is also an Anti-American. I know this cause I lived and was born in Puerto Rico. This guy is garbage and dirt all in one piece.
Posted by: Rafael | March 27, 2008 11:08 AM
Acevedo is a crook, but that has nothing to do with Obama. Acevedo was after all the governor of the island. Grow up!
Posted by: Zulma | March 27, 2008 12:42 PM
Several bloggers have a standing bet: when a politician is indicted, and that politician is a Democrat, will the news reports mention his party affiliation?
Sure enough, seven paragraphs of story and NO mention that Acevedo Vila is a Democrat. And an Obama super-delegate.
We know that if Acevedo Vila was a Republican, that fact would be mentioned in the first sentence of the article.
Hide-a-Democrat. A game the media plays to hide the facts.
Posted by: Alice Palmer | March 27, 2008 12:49 PM
http://www.halliburtonwatch.org
Posted by: Janet Reno | March 27, 2008 1:56 PM
95
Posted by: Anonymous | March 27, 2008 8:15 PM
Rafael you said it 100% correct , this governor is a crook and is very ANTI-AMERICAN ....He will be found GUITLY on these corruptions charges ...
Posted by: MICHAEL | March 28, 2008 6:36 AM
The news did mention Vila is a democrat. Alice Palmer maybe you missed the headlines. When it is a politician from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
99% it's going to be a democrat. The island is practically 100% democrat.
Posted by: EVA | March 29, 2008 12:55 AM