Puerto Rico Telecom Bid-Rigger Must Pay Restitution

A restitution award of about $408,000 against a Puerto Rico man convicted of steering a government contract to a co-conspirator isn’t excessive, the First Circuit ruled April 3.

Xavier González-Calderón pleaded guilty to using a rigged bidding process to direct the Puerto Rico House of Representatives’ telecommunications contract to 3 Comm Global Inc., according to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

The trial court ordered $408,208 in restitution under the Mandatory Victims Restitution Act, a modest reduction from the full $482,208 paid by the legislative chamber—or possibly an error in González-Calderón’s favor, the First Circuit said.

On ...