Image courtesy of La Fortaleza.
Federal authorities suspect possible acts of bribery, money laundering, and false statements by the governor’s relatives, who played prominent roles in his campaigns.
Brothers Walter and Eduardo Pierluisi, cousins of Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi, will plead guilty this Thursday at a hearing in the Federal Court in San Juan.
Six months ago federal authorities raided the American Management headquarters office and the Pierluisi Isern Law Office of Walter Pierluisi and the residence of his brother Eduardo in San Juan.
The charges against them are still unknown, however, one of the lawyers who will represent them, Osvaldo Carlo, said that federal authorities suspect possible acts of bribery, money laundering, and false statements.
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Information that has emerged indicates that their public housing management company allegedly embezzled around $4 million in federal funds.
Federal judge Camille Vélez Rivé will preside over the hearing on Thursday. Their guilty plea results from a plea bargain between the defendants and authorities.
Since the raid, Gov. Pierluisi has distanced himself from the case and started referring to them as his third cousins, despite the fact that both of them have played important roles in Pierluisi’s campaigns since he was resident commissioner in 2008.
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