SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, March 27 (UPI) -- Puerto Rican Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila Thursday denounced the wide-ranging U.S. corruption indictment against him as political maneuvering.
Though the detailed indictment accuses Acevedo and a dozen other members of his party of campaign fundraising violations, the governor said he did nothing wring, El Nuevo Dia reported online Thursday.
The Puerto Rican leader was charged with conspiracy, making false statements, wire fraud, federal program fraud and tax crimes related to campaign financing of his 1999-2000 and 2001-2002 campaign for resident commissioner of the commonwealth of Puerto Rico and subsequent 2004 gubernatorial campaign.
Acevedo and co-defendant Luisa Inclan Bird, his legal adviser, allegedly solicited and accepted illegal campaign donations from Acevedo's family and staff.
"Our democratic system cannot function when public officials act as though they are above the law. Public officials must comply with the law and those who do not comply will be held accountable," Luis Fraticelli, special agent in charge of the FBI's San Juan Field Office, said in a press release.
U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Velez said the governor will not be arrested, however, during the ongoing investigation in any possible wrongdoing, the newspaper said.
