Mary Ann McCarthy, Trial Attorney, Money Laundering & Asset Recovery Section, Criminal Division
Alison Whitney Lehr, Assistant United States Attorney
US Assisting Agencies: Unknown
Foreign Enforcement Action/Investigation: Unknown
Foreign Assisting Agencies: Unknown
Origin of the Proceeding:
Unknown
Whistleblower:
Unknown
Case Status:
Ongoing
Summary
Though not noted in the documents in this case, additional research indicates that Jose Raul De La Torre Prado was an executive at Ecuador's state-owned oil company Empresa Publica de Hidrocarburos del Ecuador ("PetroEcuador") and Roberto Barrera was his associate, presumably also at PetroEcuador.
The information in this case does not outline the details of the alleged crime, but it appears that both Prado and Barrera were officials at PetroEcuador connected to a bribery scheme outlined in related enforcement actions.
On September 12, 2019, the DOJ filed a single count Information in the Southern District of Florida against Prado and Barrera alleging conspiracy to commit money laundering.
On October 8, 2019, Barrera pled guilty, and on November 15, 2019, Prado pled guilty.
On February 28, 2020, the court sentenced Barrera to 23 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. The court also ordered him to pay a mandatory assessment of $100. In a separate order, the court ordered Barrera to forfeit $150,000.
Prado was scheduled to be sentenced on July 14, 2020, but the docket has not been updated to reflect whether that happened. However, on July 13, 2020, the court entered a preliminary order of forfeiture against Prado in the amount of $32,508.97.
This case is ongoing.
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