3 Men Charged in FCPA Scheme to Bribe Honduran Officials
A Georgia businessman, a former Honduran government official and a former Florida resident were charged with allegedly participating in a scheme to pay and hide bribes to Honduran government officials to "secure contracts to provide uniforms and other goods" to the Honduran National Police, DOJ said.
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DOJ unsealed a five-count indictment on Dec. 20 charging Carl Zaglin, owner of a law enforcement uniforms manufacturer; Francisco Consenza Centeno, former executive director of a Honduran governmental entity that procures goods for the national police; and Aldo Marchena, former Florida resident. All three are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, while Zaglin and Marchena are charged with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and Zaglin was charged with violating the FCPA.
From around 2015 to 2019, Marchena agreed to allegedly bribe government officials in Honduras, including Cosenza, to get contracts worth over $10 million for the police uniforms and accessories. Cosenza and other officials allegedly helped Zaglin, Marchena and others obtain the contracts, using the proceeds to "make bribe payments to Honduran government officials." To hide the payments, the trio allegedly laundered the proceeds through bank accounts and front companies in the U.S. and Belize. Over $166,000 allegedly made its way through this scheme.