Politician ‘inflated’ checks, stole thousands while in office in Puerto Rico, feds say
A jury convicted a former legislator for Puerto Rico and her husband of stealing thousands in a yearslong scheme while she was in office.
María Milagros “Tata” Charbonier was a legislator in the Puerto Rico House of Representative from 2013 to 2020, according to an August 2020 indictment filed in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico.
While in office, Charbonier “inflated” paychecks to her assistant, Frances Acevedo-Ceballos, federal prosecutors said. Acevedo’s biweekly paycheck began as $800 before increasing to between $2,100 to $2,900.
Acevedo kept some of this “inflated salary” for herself and gave between $1,000 to $1,500 from each paycheck as a kickback to Charbonier and her husband, Orlando Montes-Rivera, as well as their son, officials said in the indictment.
The scheme lasted from 2017 to 2020, officials said. During the trial, prosecutors said that about $100,000 was stolen through the scheme, according to ABC News and Primera Hora, a Puerto Rican news outlet.
After learning that she was being investigated, prosecutors said Charbonier deleted her call log and text messages on several platforms.
A federal jury convicted Charbonier and Montes-Rivera for their role in the corruption scheme, according to a Jan. 12 news release from the U.S. Department of Justice in Puerto Rico.
Charbonier and Montes-Rivera were convicted of conspiracy; “theft, bribery, and kickbacks concerning programs receiving federal funds;” wire fraud and money laundering, federal officials said.
Their son, Orlando Gabriel “Gaby” Montes-Charbonier, entered into a pre-trial diversion program in which the charges may be dropped if he meets the court’s criteria, according to ABC News and Primera Hora.
Charbonier was also convicted of “obstruction of justice for destroying data on her cell phone,” prosecutors said.
“That’s the way it is,” Charbonier said after the trial, according to ABC News. “This is the democracy we live in, and we have to move forward.”
Charbonier’s attorney did not immediately respond to McClatchy News’ Jan. 16 request for comment. He told ABC News that he planned to appeal the jury’s verdict.
Montes-Rivera’s attorney did not immediately respond to McClatchy News’ Jan. 16 request for comment.
Acevedo previously pleaded guilty to “federal funds bribery” and will be sentenced Feb. 5, prosecutors said. Acevedo’s attorney did not immediately respond to McClatchy News’ Jan. 16 request for comment.
Charbonier and her husband will be sentenced on April 10, prosecutors said. Their charges include maximum penalties ranging from five to 20 years in prison.
Charbonier was a conservative politician and “secretary general of the pro-statehood New Progressive Party,” ABC News reported.
Google Translate was used to translate the article from Primera Hora.
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