2 accused of bribing officials at Mexican utility in exchange for contracts for an Azusa firm

Two people were indicted by federal prosecutors Wednesday for allegedly scheming to bribe officials at a state-owned Mexican electrical utility that did business with American companies, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Enrique Faustino Aguilar Noriega, 56, and Angela Maria Gomez Aguilar, 55, both from Cuernavaca, Mexico, were charged with multiple counts relating to money laundering and conspiracy.

According to the indictment, the two were helping to bribe government officials in exchange for contracts for an Azusa-based company they worked with.

The two were allegedly directors at an organization that purported to offer sales representative services to companies doing business with the Comisión Federal de Electricidad, a utility that supplies electricity in Mexico. Their sales organization was hired by the Azusa company to help get contracts from the utility.

For several years, Noriega allegedly took a 30% commission on all sales the California-based company made to the utility. At least part of that unusually high commission was allegedly used to bribe Mexican officials at the utility.

In one case, they were alleged to have purchased a nearly $2-million yacht and a Ferrari for a utility official.

-- Robert Faturechi

Comments

[Paul Revere]

Standard operating practice working with Mexican companies!

[Paul Revere]

With 7 years in that country working with Pemex and CFE on million dollar projects and one that was 4.8 billion dollar project this is the way the gears are greased!