The former deputy staff of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA, in English) in San Juan, Jovanda Patterson, pleaded guilty to corruption charges in relation to recovery funds from the hurricane Maria In Puerto Rico.
This was reported today by the head of the federal prosecutor’s office on the Island, Stephen Muldrow, in a press release.
The press report indicates that while she was employed by FEMA, Patterson negotiated an employment position at Cobra Acquisitions and affiliates, which were participating in the restoration efforts of the Puerto Rico electrical system.
It was finally hired by a company affiliate in June 2018.
According to his agreement to plead guilty, “Patterson admitted that while negotiating employment from March through July 2018, Patterson participated as a FEMA employee in a Cobra evaluation for a bidding process.
“The defendant knowingly incurred a conduct and participated personally and substantially as a government employee through recommendation and advice in a process in which she knew that Cobra and its affiliates … they had financial interest, and that by that time she negotiated and had an agreement concerning prospective employment with Cobra and its affiliates, “the federal prosecutor’s statement said.
Patterson was charged with 15 charges in the indictment, along with Ahsha Nateef Tribble, former administrator of FEMA Region II, in New York, and Donald Keith Ellison, president of Cobra Aquisitions.
The indictment alleges that Tribble and Ellison incurred a bribe conspiracy, honest service fraud and major disaster fraud scheme in relation to the restoration effort of the Puerto Rico electrical system.
The trial against Tribble and Ellison is scheduled for January 2021.
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