María Milagros Charbonier-Laureano, Corruption, Puerto Rico 2020

Puerto Rico Legislator and Husband Convicted for Theft, Bribery, and Kickback Scheme

A federal jury in Puerto Rico has convicted María Milagros Charbonier-Laureano, a member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives, and her husband, Orlando Montes-Rivera, for engaging in a years-long theft, bribery, and kickback conspiracy scheme. The scheme involved inflating the salary of a legislative assistant, Frances Acevedo-Ceballos, from $800 on a bi-weekly, after-tax basis to nearly $2,900.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from early 2017 until July 2020, Charbonier-Laureano and Montes-Rivera defrauded the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico by engaging in a theft, bribery, and kickback scheme. Out of every inflated paycheck, it was agreed that Acevedo-Ceballos would keep a portion, and kick back between $1,000 and $1,500 to Charbonier-Laureano and Montes-Rivera.

The jury convicted Charbonier-Laureano and Montes-Rivera of one count of conspiracy; two counts of theft, bribery, and kickbacks concerning programs receiving federal funds; six counts of honest services wire fraud; and two counts of money laundering. Charbonier-Laureano was also convicted of obstruction of justice for destroying data on her cell phone.

Charbonier-Laureano and Montes-Rivera are scheduled to be sentenced on April 10, 2024. They face a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the conspiracy count; a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each federal funds theft, bribery, and kickbacks count; a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each honest services wire fraud count; and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each money laundering count. Charbonier-Laureano also faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the obstruction of justice count.

Acevedo-Ceballos pleaded guilty on November 7 to federal funds bribery and is scheduled to be sentenced on February 5, 2024. The FBI investigated the case, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico is prosecuting the case.

María Milagros Charbonier-Laureano, a resident of San Juan, Puerto Rico, is a member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives.

Related Federal Cases