A Puerto Rico Department of Treasury employee has pleaded guilty to a bribery scheme that cost the government an estimated $6.8 million in tax revenue — the third Hacienda employee to plead guilty in a bribery or fraud case in the past three months.
Alexander Ortiz-Robles pleaded guilty Sept. 8 to a bribery conspiracy in violation of federal law, admitting he accepted payments in exchange for submitting false information to Hacienda’s systems to eliminate, reduce or evade taxes owed by individuals and businesses. He’s scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 15, 2027, before U.S. District Judge Gina R. Méndez-Miró.
According to his plea agreement, Ortiz-Robles received bribe payments of $15,500 in July 2022, $20,000 in December 2023, $60,000 in November 2024, and $6,000 in April 2025, funneled through third parties who charged clients to illegally reduce their tax bills. Prosecutors say the scheme cost Hacienda approximately $6,772,578.
Third case in three months
Ortiz-Robles is the third Hacienda employee to plead guilty to a bribery or fraud scheme since roughly June. Counting the individuals, “gestors” and corporate defendants who have also pleaded guilty in related cases, prosecutors say total losses to Puerto Rico tax revenue now exceed $14 million.
The case is part of an ongoing federal effort targeting corruption inside Hacienda’s tax systems, including the Internal Revenue Unified System (SURI) and the Puerto Rico Integrated Tax Administration System (PRITAS), which give employees access to taxpayers’ returns and account information.
Sources: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, San Juan Daily Star
