Source: United States Department of Justice News
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment on February 23, 2023, charging Zuleika Molina-Orozco with eight counts of wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.
According to court documents, Molina-Orozco was the comptroller of Company A, a not-for-profit sports and social club located at a resort in Humacao, Puerto Rico, and had access and control over Company A’s bank account. Between October 2019 and March 2022, Molina-Orozco fraudulently made thirty-nine (39) unauthorized wire transfers from Company A’s bank account to three (3) of her credit cards and two (2) unauthorized wire transfers to another bank account, all totaling $1,100,283.36. The money the defendant obtained from the fraud scheme was used to pay the defendant’s personal credit card expenses, to purchase a 2020 Ford F-150 truck, and to transfer money to other individuals.
The defendant is scheduled for her initial court appearance today at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marshal D. Morgan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott H. Anderson is prosecuting the case.
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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