FBI agents were seen entering the municipal offices of San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz earlier this week and now a spokesman has confirmed the operation, which lasted several hours and involved the seizure of documents and digital records.
The Washington Examiner reported:
“More than 10” but “less than 50” agents based on the Caribbean island arrived at the Municipal Tower at 9 a.m. ET and were still conducting the operation as of 2:30 p.m. when FBI spokesman for the U.S. territory, Carlos Osorio, spoke by phone with the Washington Examiner in the afternoon Tuesday. Osorio described the operation as “pretty big.”
Agents were seen entering the Municipal Tower with dozens of empty boxes. The federal agents deployed to the third, fourth, 14th, and 15th floors of the 16-floor building, Osorio said. They were looking for any paper and electronic documents related to “corruption” inside the city administration’s purchasing and contracting departments.
“We have received allegations that they have been fixing contracts, that they are falsifying documents – these having to do with federal funds because if not, we would not have any jurisdiction,” Osorio said. “They’re not directed at the mayor, but against people that work at the tower.”
‘The allegations also include tampering with purchase orders and favoritism toward certain vendors,” the Examiner reported.
Cruz has been a fierce critic of Trump and supports leftists, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Democratic Socialist candidate for the House, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Cruz posted a statement on Twitter about the raid.
En estos momentos miembros del FBi están interviniendo en la Torre Municipal de SJ. Mis instrucciones como siempre son de total colaboración
— Carmen Yulín Cruz (@CarmenYulinCruz) October 16, 2018
“At this time, members of the FBI are intervening in the Municipal Tower of SJ. My instructions as always are of total collaboration,” Cruz’s statement said.
In recent weeks President Donald Trump tweeted about alleged corruption in the Puerto Rican government.
“The story of Puerto Rico is the rebuilding that has occurred. The President has done an extraordinary job of cleanup, rebuilding electrical stuff and everything else.” @EdRollins “The people of Puerto Rico have one of the most corrupt governments in our country.” @LouDobbs
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2018
Fox News reported the raid came after an anonymous tip on how the mayor’s office awards government contracts – “specifically, a $4.7 million deal with construction company BR Solutions.”
“El Nuevo Dia claims the company is owned by a businessman who has made questionable political donations to several Puerto Rican politicians,” Fox News reported.
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