A DOJ press release here reports on an attorney in Puerto Rico receiving a sentence of 33 months imprisonment for an obstruction of justice conviction. The press release states that the defendant was sentenced "for his involvement in a conspiracy to obstruct justice and obstruction of justice in connection with federal investigations by the U.S. General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General (GSA-OIG), and a federal grand jury into a kickback scheme to defraud Tricon Restaurants International. Tricon, which was recently purchased by Encanto Restaurants, owns and operates fast food restaurants in Puerto Rico."  The press release further states:

"The indictment charged that Guardiola attempted to conceal the true nature of the kickback payments by attempting to persuade witnesses to provide false information about the kickback payments to the grand jury and the GSA-OIG. The indictment also charged that Guardiola drafted a phony services contract to conceal the true nature of the kickback payments."

This case comes out of the Antitrust Division.  Two individuals have plead guilty and await sentencing related to this case, and one other "convicted at trial of the same charge" was "sentenced to serve 12 months and one day in jail and two years of supervised release." 

(esp)