SAN JUAN – Businessman José Bou Santiago pleaded guilty this Tuesday for bribing Félix Delgado, former mayor of Cataño (northeast), in exchange for contracts in the municipality that benefited his maintenance service company.
Bou Santiago, 50 years old and owner of Bou Maintenance Service Corp., is the fourth contractor to plead guilty to bribing Delgado, from the government New Progressive Party, informed the San Juan Federal Prosecutor’s Office in a press release.
According to the indictment, in April 190, Bou met at Delgado’s house and gave him the bribe in exchange for contracts to his company for construction, maintenance of green areas and purchase and rental of vehicles, as the opportunity arose.
And in order to remain competitive for these types of municipal contracts, Bou agreed to provide Delgado with a Rolex watch, valued in $50,000 dollars in exchange for granting him the agreement with his company Bou Maintenance Service.
Thus, some time after the exchange of the watch, Bou and his company were awarded the contract of the Municipality of Cataño to offer construction services for approximately $190,000 dollars, details the accusation.
Bou pleaded guilty to a crime of conspiring to engage in a bribery scheme.
Although the crime of conspiracy to commit bribery with federal funds carries a maximum sentence of 5 years with 3 years of supervised release, the recommendation of the Public Ministry was 24 months in prison, a fine of $13,000 dollars and the confiscation of the Rolex watch.
Bou faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison.
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