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DOJ Haiti Teleco
(U.S. Newswire Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) BC-DOJ-Haiti-Teleco
To: NATIONAL EDITORS
Contact: U.S. Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs,
+1-202-514-2007; TDD, +1-202-514-1888
WASHINGTON, March 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A former official of the
Republic of Haiti's state-owned national telecommunications company pleaded
guilty today to a money laundering conspiracy in connection with a foreign
bribery scheme, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the
Criminal Division; U. S. Attorney Jeffrey H. Sloman of the Southern District
of Florida; and Daniel W. Auer, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal
Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Miami Field Office.
"Today's guilty plea represents another important milestone in our ongoing
effort to tackle overseas corruption," said Assistant Attorney General Lanny
A. Breuer of the Criminal Division. "The message here is simple: Whether you
are located in the United States or elsewhere, we will not allow U.S.
financial institutions to be used as a vehicle for laundering illicit
proceeds."
"Today's conviction should be a warning to corrupt government officials
everywhere that neither they nor their money will find any safe haven in the
United States," said U.S. Attorney Jeffrey H. Sloman.
"The IRS is committed to enforcing the anti-money laundering laws and will
continue to work with our international partners to investigate violations
worldwide," said Special Agent in Charge Daniel W. Auer. "Haitian law
enforcement should be commended for their commitment and professionalism
throughout this investigation."
According to the indictment filed on Dec. 4, 2009, Robert Antoine, 62, of
Miami and Haiti, was the director of international affairs for Haiti's
state-owned national telecommunications company, Telecommunications D'Haiti
(Haiti Teleco) from May 2001 to April 2003. In that position, Antoine had
primary responsibility for the relationships between U.S. telecommunications
companies and Haiti Teleco. Antoine admitted during his guilty plea that he
accepted bribes from three U.S. telecommunications companies and thereby
defrauded Haiti Teleco. To disguise the origin of these funds, Antoine
admitted he laundered them through intermediary companies, including J.D.
Locator Services. Juan Diaz, the president of J.D. Locator, pleaded guilty on
May 15, 2009, to conspiracy to commit violations of the Foreign Corrupt
Practices Act (FCPA) and money laundering. Antoine admitted that a portion of
the J.D. Locator funds were also laundered by Jean Fourcand of Fourcand
Enterprises, who pleaded guilty on Feb. 19, 2010, to money laundering.
Antoine admitted during his guilty plea that $800,000 of these bribes were
intended to be given to him by a U.S. telecommunications company for which
Joel Esquenazi was the president and director, Carlos Rodriguez was the
executive vice president, and Antonio Perez was, at times, the controller.
Perez pleaded guilty on Apr. 27, 2009, to conspiring to commit FCPA violations
and money laundering.
Esquenazi and Rodriguez, as well as Jean Rene Duperval, who was director
of international relations of Haiti Teleco from June 2003 to April 2004, and
Duperval's sister, Marguerite Grandison, were indicted along with Antoine on
Dec. 4, 2009.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and defendants are presumed
innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Antoine faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of the
greater of $250,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the
transaction. Antoine also agreed to a forfeiture order of $1,580,771.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 27, 2010.
The Department of Justice is grateful to the government of Haiti for
providing substantial assistance in gathering evidence during this
investigation. In particular, Haiti's financial intelligence unit, the Unite
Centrale de Renseignements Financiers (UCREF), the Bureau des Affaires
Financieres et Economiques (BAFE), which is a specialized component of the
Haitian National Police, and the Ministry of Justice and Public Security
provided significant cooperation and coordination in this ongoing
investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Nicola J. Mrazek of the Criminal
Division's Fraud Section, Trial Attorney Kevin Gerrity of the Criminal
Division's Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, and Assistant U.S.
Attorney Aurora Fagan of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District
of Florida. The Criminal Division's Office of International Affairs also
provided assistance in this matter. The case was investigated by the IRS-CI
Miami Field Office.
SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice
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(c) 2010 U.S. Newswire Corp.
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