Senator, businessman accused of bribery scheme

A Puerto Rican senator has been indicted for allegedly supporting legislation in favour of a private security company in exchange for a trip to Las Vegas to watch a boxing match, authorities said Tuesday.

Senator Hector Martinez Maldonado, 41, is accused of trading political favours for services from businessman Juan Bravo Fernandez, the United States Justice Department said.

Bravo is the former CEO of Ranger American, one of the Caribbean island's largest security guard companies.

The indictment alleges Martinez accepted a first-class trip to Nevada to watch a boxing match between Felix "Tito" Trinidad and Winky Wright in May, two months after he allegedly submitted a bill that favoured Bravo's business.

Puerto Rico's senate approved two bills that favoured the company several days after Bravo returned from Nevada with Martinez and former Senator Jorge de Castro Font, who pleaded guilty in the case last year and agreed to help US authorities with the investigation.

Bravo, 54, is accused of spending US$1,000 on tickets for the boxing match the day that Martinez submitted one of the proposed bills. Bravo also is accused of reserving hotel rooms in Miami and at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

The six-count indictment also says Bravo helped pay De Castro's debts with several businesses, issuing periodic payments of up to US$2,000.

A statement from Martinez's lawyer, Abbe D. Lowell, said the charges would be proven false.

"It was not for politics, it was not for favours and it was not for business - it was for fun," the statement said.

"The charges are nonsense. There were no bags of cash, no secret meetings, no special favours - just a trip for a few hundred dollars - hardly something that would cause corruption."

Bravo could not be immediately reached for comment.

Ranger American provides security services at Puerto Rico's largest shopping malls. It also has an armoured car division.

One of the bills required private security firms to obtain a private detective licence. Presidents of companies competing with Ranger American did not have such licences. The other bill allowed shopping centres to create codes of conduct to be enforced by private security firms.

Governor Luis Fortuno said in a statement that Martinez should not be in any leadership position.

"No citizen is above the law," he said. "If he is found guilty, he should resign."

Martinez was first elected senator in 2004 and re-elected in 2008. He resigned in March as head of an important judicial committee citing a federal investigation, but he denied any wrongdoing.

De Castro was the former chairman of a key Senate committee that often decided when and which bills would go to a vote.

The indictment is the latest in a string of corruption charges against politicians in Puerto Rico.

In March 2009, the island's former governor, Anibal Acevedo Vila, was acquitted on all nine charges related to an alleged scheme to repay more than US$500,000 in campaign debts.

- AP

'The charges are nonsense. There were no bags of cash, no secret meetings, no special favours - just a trip for a few hundred dollars - hardly something that would cause corruption.'