Governor backs arrest of Treasury workers, others

“What I want to make clear is this: every dollar stolen through acts of corruption is a dollar stolen from taxpayers, from those who pay their taxes as they are supposed to, and from the programs and agencies that depend on tax revenue,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Devin Kowalski, at right.

By THE STAR STAFF

Gov. Jenniffer González Colón expressed her satisfaction on Wednesday with the outcome of an FBI investigation that led to the indictment of some 26 individuals and entities for public corruption, including employees of the island Treasury Department.

The indicted are accused of conspiring to commit wire fraud and bribery in order to defraud the Treasury Department of over $3.5 million.

“First of all, I am pleased that arrests have been made of individuals who exploited their public positions to enrich themselves and operate a corruption network,” the governor said. “They will have the opportunity to defend themselves in due time, but it is clear to me -- based on information from the secretary of the Treasury -- that these investigations began last year with the FBI. As soon as the agency was alerted, it cooperated fully by providing all requested information. I believe this is a significant step toward cleaning up the system. Corruption cannot be tolerated at any level, whether involving public officials, career civil servants, or employees in divisions with access to sensitive information that could be exploited for personal gain.”

González Colón expressed her approval of the direct confronting of corruption, which she said often goes unnoticed despite widespread suspicion that it exists.

“I want to congratulate the secretary of the Treasury for promptly responding to the federal request to collaborate, ensuring that the necessary arrests were carried out without delay,” the governor added. “This collaboration is essential not only for this case but also for any other investigations that may have been ongoing since last year in this and other government agencies. My administration will fully cooperate with all of them, and in fact, the government itself is conducting investigations into other officials.”

“I firmly believe that no one is above the law,” González Colón continued. “While I will not interfere or make assumptions about anyone’s guilt, I have great confidence in the credibility of federal investigations of this magnitude. Those involved will have their opportunity to defend themselves in court. In the meantime, the government is undergoing a necessary cleanup, allowing us to maintain transparency and integrity in government operations.”

Earlier on Wednesday, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow announced that more than two dozen individuals and corporations face federal charges for committing fraud against the island Treasury Department.

“In order to defraud the Department of the Treasury of more than $3.5 million, from November 2021 to April 2025, Treasury officials Javier Relta Lebrón and Harry Muriel Falero received payments in exchange for submitting false tax records to the Treasury Department to eliminate or reduce tax debts for several co-defendants,” Muldrow said at a press conference.

According to authorities, the defendants communicated via WhatsApp and Apple iMessage with “Person A” to coordinate and submit the false information to the Treasury Department.

They allegedly requested false tax credits or submitted income tax returns with false expenses to eliminate -- and in some cases reduce -- sales and use tax debts, W-2 employee withholdings and income other taxes for the individuals and corporations.

“In some other cases, individuals received reimbursements per child they were not entitled to from those two employees,” Muldrow noted regarding the scheme.

“I want to emphasize that the investigation is ongoing. And we know there are more people involved in these types of schemes,” the federal prosecutor added. “That’s why, as in all our cases, we urge those involved in these illegal activities, and others, not to wait for us to come and interview them or arrest them at their homes. Call the FBI. It’s much better to be Person A than defendant number one. We also encourage anyone who has information or knows of others who have engaged in this or other types of schemes to call the authorities and report it.”

Besides Relta Lebrón and Muriel Falero, the indicted defendants and corporations are: César Rodríguez Nieves, 24 Marketplace Inc., A La Silla LLC, RB Marketplace Inc., Hiram Firpi Cruz, Líneas de Puerto Rico Inc., Héctor J. Baerga Ortiz, Hijole Foods Bistro Corp., HVP Foods Corp., BBB Food Corp., BHV Food Corp., VHB Foods Corp., Carlos A. Rodríguez Ortiz, Red Point Pizza and Restaurant Corp., Héctor J. Marrero Muñoz, Supermarket Hnos. Muñoz Inc., Suhail Pastrana Vega, Rolando Bergolla Hernández, Rafael A. Tefel Santana, Gabrielle López Berríos, G Fitness & Body Performance LLC, Veevo LLC, Patria Silfa Báez, and Print Pro LLC.

In total, the accused face 138 charges.

“This case is the result of several years of careful work. It involves a complex scheme and requires taking the necessary time to develop a solid case,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Devin Kowalski. “What I want to make clear is this: every dollar stolen through acts of corruption is a dollar stolen from taxpayers, from those who pay their taxes as they are supposed to, and from the programs and agencies that depend on tax revenue. That money should never have touched the pockets of these criminals.”

Treasury Secretary Ángel Pantoja Rodríguez added that the investigation “remains ongoing.”

“It has been many months and a great deal of collaboration,” he said. “I reiterate the commitment to federal and state authorities that the Treasury Department will continue to collaborate and make available all the necessary resources and initiatives to solve these types of cases.”