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Former Puerto Rico Senator Charged With Fraud
By John Marino SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (Reuters) - A former Puerto Rican senator was arrested on Monday on 44 federal charges of fraud, extortion and money laundering in connection with a Puerto Rico Housing Department project. Freddy Valentin, head of Puerto Rico's Senate Nominations Committee until his retirement in 1996, was arrested at the San Juan airport upon returning from a business trip to Argentina. Valentin, a member of the pro-statehood New Progress Party (NPP), faces charges of extortion, money laundering, conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce through threats or violence, and carrying out transactions with illegally obtained money. Valentin is the latest member of the ruling NPP to be accused of corruption, allegations that have become an issue in the U.S. commonwealth's gubernatorial election this year. The charges against him stem from the Tropical Acres Estates project, which called for construction of moderate-cost housing on land owned by the Puerto Rico Ports Authority in Aguadilla in the northwest part of the Caribbean island. Valentin allegedly was paid for using his government influence to obtain permits and approvals for the project. Evidence against him includes 40 canceled checks totaling $96,000, which he allegedly laundered, prosecutors charged. Valentin was released on $25,000 bail and declined to comment on the charges. A federal grand jury indicted him on Thursday, a day after he left for Argentina, but the indictment was sealed until his arrest. Government corruption has become an issue in the gubernatorial campaign that pits former Transportation Secretary Carlos Pesquera of the NPP against San Juan Mayor Sila Calderon of the pro-commonwealth Popular Democratic Party and Ruben Berrios of the Puerto Rican Independence Party. Gov. Pedro Rossello, a member of the NPP, will not seek a third term. Attorney Luis Dubon Otero, a powerful NPP fund-raiser, was convicted earlier this year of defrauding a clinic of federal funds destined for AIDS patients. NPP member Angel Rodriguez Cabrero, former mayor of the town of Toa Baja, was convicted last year of irregularities in hurricane clean-up contracts. The U.S. Attorney's Office also is investigating the Municipal Revenues Collection Center, which collects taxes for the island's 78 municipalities. The probe centers on alleged irregularities in a multimillion-dollar computer contract and centers on several NPP mayors and other officials. Pesquera, former head of the Ports Authority, was questioned by FBI agents regarding the Valentin investigation. In an unusual move, the FBI last month issued a statement saying that Pesquera was not a target of the housing investigation after a San Juan daily newspaper implied he was. E-mail this story - (View most popular) | Printer-friendly format |
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Los izquierdistas como nunca han estado en el poder, pues a ninguno se le pude culpar. En una República sin la fiscalización del Gobierno Federal, Puerto Rico fuera un caos, porque el Presidente tendría un poder absoluto como pasa es muchas Repúblicas en Latinoamérica.
Bueno, debemos mencionar los 90 millones gastados para un avión que nunca se hizo en la pasada Administración, cuando RHC y SILa tenían el poder. El pabellón de Sevilla otros 60 millones que nadie sabe a donde fueron. Un solar a bajo costo vendido por el Municipio de San Juan. Un ex-senador popular declarado culpable en el caso del Instituto de Sida. La lista es larga del lado rojo. En la parte verde sería bueno conocer ¿porqué David Noriega cuando era representante se opuso al reglamento de legislador a tiempo completo? Ruben Berríos estuvo un año cobrando salario de senador mientras comía langostas en terrenos de la Marina. ![]() |
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Es bueno que comiencen encontrando todos los chanchullos dentro del PNP. Eso se llama: "limpiar la casa"; es lo mejor para el pueblo y para nuestro partido. En el Partido mas grande de Puerto Rico es natural que se cuelen manzanas podridas. Al fin y al cabo el Partido Nuevo Progresista va a tener mejores candidatos y lideres
.------------------ Manuel Alonso |
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