Harry E. Mueriel-Falero, an employee of the Puerto Rico Department of Treasury, pleaded guilty on July 20 to participating in a wire fraud conspiracy that resulted in the loss of approximately $665,693 in Puerto Rico tax revenue. Business owner Gabrielle López-Berríos also pleaded guilty to participating in the same wire fraud conspiracy and a separate bribery conspiracy involving another Hacienda employee, according to a statement released on July 21.
According to the plea agreement for Mueriel-Falero, he conspired to defraud the Department of Treasury by creating and submitting false information on tax returns for individuals and entities. This allowed for the elimination or reduction of tax debts or illegal claims for refunds. Between June 2023 and December 2024, Mueriel-Falero used his access as an employee to modify taxpayer information through the Internal Revenue Unified System (GenTax/SURI). He solicited and accepted cash payments in exchange for submitting false data that enabled tax evasion and theft of funds.
López-Berríos negotiated with Mueriel-Falero through an intermediary known as Person A, paying cash so that false information could be entered into her personal tax returns. This resulted in over $11,192 being eliminated from her own tax debts. In addition to this scheme, López-Berríos participated in a bribery conspiracy by paying bribes through Person A to another Hacienda employee from November 2021 through April 2023. These actions led to approximately $18,671 worth of corporate taxes owed by her companies—G FITNESS & BODY PERFORMANCE LLC and VEEVO LLC—being illegally erased or reduced.
The sentencing hearings are scheduled before District Judge Pedro A. Delgado-Hernández: October 9 for Mueriel-Falero and October 16 for López-Berríos. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case while Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie Christine Amy is prosecuting it.
This prosecution forms part of ongoing efforts against public corruption involving employees at the Puerto Rico Department of Treasury. The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced indictments against twenty-six individuals and corporations related to this scheme in October 2025; Luis A. Jiménez-Guzmán also pleaded guilty earlier this month after admitting participation in a similar bribery conspiracy with losses estimated at about $5 million.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico handles federal crimes including civil rights violations, enforces federal laws through criminal prosecutions and civil litigation, serves all areas within its jurisdiction addressing crimes such as public corruption and drug trafficking, offers mechanisms for reporting crimes or frauds promoting public safety, and is led by United States Attorney Muldrow—all according to the official website.