By The Star Staff
Walter and Eduardo Pierluisi Isern, cousins of Gov. Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia, are appearing at a hearing Thursday to plead guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Camille Vélez Rivé on unspecified charges, according to the electronic calendar of the U.S. District Court in San Juan.
The hearing, which is subject to change, is to plead guilty by filing a motion for “information” and relief from being accused through a statement that a federal grand jury can issue.
Accordingly, Walter Pierluisi Isern is represented by attorneys Eduardo Ferrer and Osvaldo Carlo, while María Domínguez and Javier Micheo are representing Eduardo Pierluisi Isern.
Federal officials from the FBI and the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development last year executed a search warrant for the facilities of American Management and Administration Corp., owned by the Pierluisi Isern brothers. Federal authorities also seized the brothers’ cell phones, and executed a search warrant at Eduardo Pierluisi Isern’s residence.
Since its incorporation in 1995, American Management and Administration Corp. has had contracts for public housing administration in some 34 municipalities in Puerto Rico. Those contracts reportedly were canceled.
At the time, it was reported that officials were investigating possible acts of bribery and false statements.