Twenty-Six Individuals and Companies Indicted in Puerto Rico Tax Debt Scheme Involving over $3.5 Million

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On October 23, 2025, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging two public officials, ten individuals, and fourteen companies for their roles in a wire fraud and bribery conspiracy to defraud the Puerto Rico Department of Treasury (Hacienda) for more than $3.5 million. U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Devin Kowalski, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office, made the announcement.

According to court documents, from November 2021 through April 2025, two Hacienda officials, defendants Javier Relta-Lebrón and Harry E. Muriel-Falero, received payments in exchange for submitting false tax records to Hacienda to eliminate and reduce tax debts for various co-defendants with a total approximate loss exceeding $3.5 million. The defendants communicated via WhatsApp and Apple iMessage with Person A, to coordinate and submit the false information to Hacienda in relation to at least 24 personal and corporate accounts. By altering tax records, creating false taxpayer credits, and modifying sales tax (IVU) owed, Defendant Relta-Lebrón eliminated and reduced IVU taxes owed by commercial retail establishments. By preparing and submitting false taxpayer filings, Defendant Muriel-Falero created false tax credits and eliminated individual income tax debts.

The following co-defendants knowingly conspired with Person A to contact Hacienda officials to illegally eliminate tax debt, to coordinate the submission of materially false information to Hacienda, and to make illicit payments to the indicted Hacienda officials (Defendants Relta-Lebrón and Muriel-Falero):  

1. César Rodríguez-Nieves
2. 24 Marketplace, Inc.
3. A La Silla, LLC.
4. RB Marketplace, Inc.
5. Hiram Firpi-Cruz
6. Lineas de Puerto Rico, Inc.
7. Héctor J. Baerga-Ortiz
8. Hijole Foods Bistro Corp.
9. HVP Foods Corp.
10. BBB Food Corp.
11. BHV Food Corp.
12. VHB Foods Corp.
13. Carlos A. Rodríguez-Ortiz
14. Red Point Pizza and Restaurant Corp.
15. Héctor J. Marrero-Muñoz
16. Supermarket Hnos. Muñoz, Inc.
17. Suhail Pastrana-Vega
18. Rolando Bergolla-Hernández
19. Rafael A. Tefel-Santana
20. Gabrielle López-Berrios
21. G Fitness & Body Performance LLC
22. Veevo LLC
23. Patria Silfa-Báez
24. Print Pro LLC

“Public corruption, at every level of government, causes a substantial and incalculable harm to the public. The Justice Department will continue to aggressively enforce federal fraud and corruption laws, said United States Attorney Muldrow. “I commend the excellent work of the FBI and the prosecutors in our office, and thank the Secretary of Hacienda for his collaboration in this investigation, which remains ongoing. For those other persons who participated in this scheme -- or other similar schemes -- now is the time to come forward. It is always better to reach out to the FBI early, rather than wait for them to knock on your door.”

"Today's arrests represent a decisive win for the American people and a clear message that corruption will not stand unchallenged," said Devin J. Kowalski, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's San Juan Field Office. "Thanks to the relentless dedication of our investigative team and partners, we have dismantled an entrenched criminal network that preyed on the Department of Hacienda to the detriment of taxpayers and public trust. The FBI remains committed to safeguarding the integrity of government institutions, and we will not rest until justice is fully served."

If convicted, the individual defendants charged with wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy face up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is in charge of the investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie Christine Amy from the District of Puerto Rico’s Financial Fraud & Public Corruption Section is prosecuting the case.

If you are aware of or have knowledge of a fraud or corruption scheme, please report the criminal activity to the FBI at (787)987-6500 or www.tips.fbi.gov.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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