Carlos Zelaya, a Honduran citizen, has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering of $1.3 million dollars worth of bribe money and funds that his brother, Mario Zelaya, stole from the Honduran Institute of Social Security.
Two Honduran businessmen paid the $1.3 million bribe through the use of wire transfers and purchases of real estate in order to benefit Mario Zelaya, who is accused of stealing $330 million from his position as the former Executive Director of the Honduran Institute of Social Security. The Department of Justice (DOJ) stated that Zelaya also lied to investigators about the source of funds used to buy properties in New Orleans and continued to collect and spend rental funds regardless of a federal judge prohibiting him from doing so until the end of the civil suit.
Zelaya was arrested on May 1 and, as part of a plea agreement, has agreed to give up the New Orleans properties and is now awaiting sentencing on October 3.
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