SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) 鈥� Puerto Rico鈥檚 Justice Department announced Tuesday that it is suing at least 30 ex-government officials accused of corruption to recover more than $30 million in public funds.
Among those sued are three former legislators, including Mar铆a Milagros Charbonier, who was sentenced in May to eight years in federal prison after being found guilty of theft, bribery and a kickback scheme.
鈥淲e are going to recover the Puerto Rican people鈥檚 money and claim an amount that totals three times the damage caused by those who have illegally appropriated public funds," said Domingo Emanuelli, the U.S. territory鈥檚 justice secretary.
Also sued are eight former mayors including F茅lix Delgado of Cata帽o and 脕ngel P茅rez of Guaynabo. Delgado was sentenced to one year in federal prison in March after pleading guilty to accepting bribes in exchange for awarding millions of dollars鈥� worth of municipal contracts. P茅rez was sentenced to more than five years in federal prison in February after being found guilty of bribery and extorsion.
Their attorneys could not be immediately reached for comment.
Puerto Rico鈥檚 Justice Department had long been accused of not cracking down sufficiently on widespread government corruption on the island, with federal authorities taking the reins in recent years.
鈥淔or the first time on the island, the Puerto Rican Justice Department sued more than 30 convicts for corruption with the purpose of recovering public funds and demanding reparation for the damages they caused to the Puerto Rican people," Emanuelli said.
The department also sued two companies: J. R. Asphalt, Inc., and Waste Collection Corp. Federal authorities have previously accused them of being linked to government corruption cases.
Coral Murphy Marcos, The Associated Press
