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Governor surrenders to FBI
28/03/2008 18:48 - (SA)
San Juan - Puerto Rico Governor Anibal Acevedo Vila has surrendered on federal corruption charges.
The governor was going to be fingerprinted and have a mugshot taken as he is booked on 19 criminal counts, FBI spokesperson Harry Rodriguez said. Authorities will also take a statement from the governor.
Acevedo spoke briefly with a local FBI official before entering the federal courthouse but did not address reporters.
Hundreds of supporters swarmed the governor's black SUV as it approached the building. Many were waving the flags of Puerto Rico and Acevedo's party as salsa music blasted at the campaign-style rally on Friday.
A federal indictment unsealed on Thursday accuses Acevedo and a dozen associates in alleged schemes to raise and conceal thousands of dollars in illegal campaign contributions. If convicted, the governor faces up to 20 years in prison.
Acevedo has denied any wrongdoing and accused US investigators in a televised speech of distracting him from trying to revive the island's recession-bound economy.
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