A federal grand jury returned an indictment on July 15 charging Diana Kutateladze, 37, of Brooklyn, New York, with three counts of bribery of a Louisiana public official. Kutateladze faces up to 15 years in federal prison on each count if convicted.
According to court documents, Kutateladze allegedly offered money and other valuable items—including tequila, a $100 gift card, and $3,000 in online payments—on January 11, January 16, and May 28 of the previous year. The bribes were allegedly intended to influence a public official in the Western District of Louisiana to disregard federal immigration laws and recommend the release of immigration detainees. The public official reported these offers to supervisors, leading to an investigation.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana announced the indictment. The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Office of Professional Responsibility. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Craig Bordelon and LaDonte Murphy are prosecuting the case with assistance from legal assistants Tanya Broussard and Christy Angelle.
Officials emphasized that an indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
Additional information about this case can be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana.