On February 19, 2010, the Department of Justice announced that Jean Fourcand, 62, of Miami, pleaded guilty for his role as an intermediary in a scheme to bribe officials of the Republic of Haiti’s state-owned national telecommunications company, Telecommunications D’Haiti (Haiti Teleco), between November 2001 and August 2002. According to the criminal information, Fourcand, a U.S. citizen, is the president of Florida-based Fourcand Enterprises Inc.
According to the press release, Fourcand admitted that funds were received from an intermediary company, J.D. Locator Services Inc. The press release explains that the various U.S. telecommunications companies sent money to Juan Diaz, the president of J.D. Locator, who then dispersed the funds by issuing J.D. Locator checks made payable to Fourcand Enterprises with the appearance that they were for legitimate services when in fact the money was intended for the government officials. As an example, the press release explains that Fourcand received a check for $18,500 on February 20, 2002, drawn on J.D. Locator Service’s bank account, which he deposited into an account in the name of Fourcand Enterprises. Fourcand admitted this check contained a false invoice number to make the payment appear to be for legitimate services. The money was then used in a real estate transaction for the benefit of Robert Antoine, the then Director of International Relations of Haiti Teleco.
As previously reported here, in December 2009, Antoine and Jean Rene Duperval, both former directors of international relations at Haiti’s state-owned Haiti Teleco, were charged with money laundering. In addition, two U.S.-based telecommunication executives, Joel Esquenazi and Carlos Rodriguez, and an intermediary agent, Marguerite Grandison, were charged with violating the FCPA, money laundering laws, and the wire fraud statute. Diaz, the president of J.D. Locator, pleaded guilty on May 15, 2009, to conspiracy to commit violations of the FCPA and money laundering.
Fourcand’s charged crime carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of the greater of $250,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction. Fourcand also agreed to forfeit $18,500 as part of his guilty plea.
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