Former Governor Wanda Vázquez, Banker Julio Herrera Velutini, and Ex-Federal Agent to Appear in U.S. Federal Court for Final Hearing

Source: El Nuevo Día

Article based on and citing :El Nuevo Día's July 18, 2025 report

San Juan, Puerto Rico — July 18, 2025

San Juan, Puerto Rico — June 23, 2025

In a major development stemming from a high-profile federal case, former Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vázquez Garced, Venezuelan banker Julio Herrera Velutini, and former federal agent Mark Rossini are set to plead guilty to a misdemeanor campaign finance violation under U.S. law.

The plea hearing will be held on August 27, 2025, at 2:00 PM, before District Judge Silvia L. Carreño Coll in Courtroom 6 at the Federal Court for the District of Puerto Rico in Hato Rey, according to an official order issued by Judge Carreño Coll.

From Federal Conspiracy Charges to a Single Misdemeanor Count

The three defendants originally faced serious felony charges, including conspiracy, bribery involving federally funded programs, and honest services wire fraud. Additionally, Herrera Velutini was separately charged for allegedly orchestrating a second bribery scheme.

Originally facing seven felony counts—including conspiracy, federal-program bribery, and honest-services wire fraud—in an indictment returned in August 2022, the charges have now been reduced

El Nuevo Día reported, by late May 2025, both the defense and the federal prosecutors confirmed that plea negotiations were underway. These talks culminated in a decisive meeting in Washington D.C. with senior officials from the U.S. Department of Justice. Following that, a plea deal was reached.

Under the terms of the agreement, all three defendants will now plead guilty to a single misdemeanor count for violating the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) — specifically Section 30121 which prohibits foreign nationals from contributing to U.S. elections.

In a sharply worded judicial order, Judge Carreño Coll remarked on the leniency of the reduced charges:

“Surprisingly, the penalty for violating Section 30121 of the FECA is merely a slap on the wrist compared to the sentences they would have faced had they been convicted on the original indictment,” she wrote.

Admissions Related to 2020 Primary Elections

According to the court filings:

• Wanda Vázquez Garced is expected to admit that between March and June 2020, she “knowingly and willfully accepted the promise of a political contribution from a foreign national,” in connection with her candidacy in the New Progressive Party (PNP) primaries. The promised amount exceeded $2,000 but was less than $25,000 during the calendar year.
• Julio Herrera Velutini, the Venezuelan banker and key co-defendant, will admit to “knowingly and willfully making an explicit or implicit promise of a campaign contribution,” exceeding $2,000, also in connection with the 2020 PNP primaries for the Puerto Rico governorship.
• Mark Rossini, the former U.S. federal agent, is charged with “knowingly and willfully facilitating” the foreign donation promise, with the same dollar threshold cited.

The original indictment, filed in August 2022 by a federal grand jury, charged all three with seven counts related to corruption, conspiracy, and fraudulent conduct.

A Turning Point in a Politically Charged Case

The plea deal marks a significant turn in a case that has drawn intense media attention in both Puerto Rico and the mainland U.S., especially given the political stature of the defendants and the involvement of a foreign financier. Wanda had endorsed Trump, and Julio Herrera Velutini had made a promise to help the Government of Puerto Rico in April 2020, during the pandemic crisis.

The shift in the defense from denial, to aggressive political framing, and drawing on the lack of quid pro quo and highlighting prosecutorial overreach, leveraging DOJ vulnerabilities amid claims of political targeting

In June 2025, all felony charges were dismissed. Vázquez pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanor campaign finance violation under 52 U.S.C. §30121. No jail time, no fines—only a statement of procedural admission. Spiro’s role helped transform the case from a felony corruption saga to a technical footnote.

This case is also notable for how it evolved: what began as a sprawling indictment involving serious corruption charges has been reduced to a single misdemeanor count for each defendant — an outcome some observers see as a reflection of negotiation, evidentiary challenges, or both.

The plea hearing on August 27 is expected to be a critical moment not just for the defendants, but also for the broader legal and political narrative surrounding campaign finance and foreign influence in U.S. electoral processes.

Source: "Señalan vista de alegato de culpabilidad en caso federal contra la exgobernadora Wanda Vázquez" — El Nuevo Día, July 18, 2025"