Brother of Honduran government official indicted for laundering bribes in New Orleans

DOJ

On May 1, the Department of Justice announced the indictment of a Honduran national, Carlos Alberto Zelaya Rojas, for trying to launder more than $1.3 million in bribes that had been paid to his brother, the former Executive Director of the Honduran Institute of Social Security.  The bribes had been paid by two Honduran businessmen for the benefit of the Executive Director.  The indictment alleges that Zelaya Rojas conspired with his brother to launder the funds through international wire transfers and the purchase of real estate in the New Orleans area.  The indictment further alleges that Zelaya Rojas also used his brother’s high-ranking position to profit from lucrative Honduran government contracts and that he impeded an official proceeding by lying to the U.S. government about the source of the funds.  Zelaya Rojas was arrested on the same day the indictment was announced.