Former Government of Bolivia Minister Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Launder Proceeds of Bribery Scheme

The former Minister of the Government of Bolivia pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to launder bribes he received in exchange for corruptly helping a U.S. company win a $5.6 million contract from the Bolivian government.

According to court documents, Arturo Carlos Murillo Prijic, 58, of Bolivia, received at least $532,000 in bribe payments from a Florida-based company in exchange for helping that company secure an approximately $5.6 million contract to provide tear gas and other non-lethal equipment to the Bolivian Ministry of Defense. Murillo and his co-conspirators laundered the proceeds of the bribery scheme through the U.S. financial system, including bank accounts in Miami, Florida, where Murillo received approximately $130,000 in cash bribe payments. 

Murillo’s co-conspirators – Sergio Rodrigo Mendez Mendizabal (Mendez), Luis Berkman, Bryan Berkman, and Philip Lichtenfeld – previously pleaded guilty on Sept. 28, 2021, to their roles in this scheme. Mendez and Luis Berkman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and Bryan Berkman and Lichtenfeld pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). On June 9, 2022, Mendez was sentenced to 42 months in prison, Luis Berkman was sentenced to 38 months, Bryan Berkman was sentenced to 28 months, and Lichtenfeld was sentenced to 26 months.

Murillo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez for the Southern District of Florida; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Michel E. Buckley of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement.

HSI’s Fort Lauderdale Field Office is investigating the case. 

Trial Attorney Jill Simon and Assistant Chief Gerald M. Moody Jr. of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eli S. Rubin for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Charest-Turken is handling asset forfeiture.

The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.