Jun.03, 2010

A former official of Haiti's state-owned national telecommunications company was sentenced to 48 months in prison for his role in a money-laundering conspiracy in connection with a foreign bribery scheme, the U.S. Department of Justice said Wednesday.

Federal prosecutors said Robert Antoine, 62, of Miami and Haiti, was also ordered by U.S. District Judge Jose Martinez to serve three years of supervised release after he leaves prison. Martinez ordered Antoine to pay $1,852,209 in restitution and to forfeit $1,580,771. Antoine pleaded guilty on March 12 to conspiracy to commit money laundering.

According to his indictment, Antoine was director of international affairs for Haiti's state-owned Telecommunications D'Haiti, also known as Haiti Teleco, from May 2001 to April 2003. Antoine previously admitted that he accepted bribes from three U.S. telecommunications companies and thereby defrauded Haiti Teleco.

Three others pleaded guilty to charges that included money laundering. A federal trial for four others is set to begin July 19 in Miami.