Judge Cuts Antoine’s Sentence

Sam Rubenfeld of the Wall Street Journal reported this week that a defendant in the Haiti telco prosecution had his sentence reduced because of his help to prosecutors.

Robert Antoine, the former international affairs director of Haiti’s state-owned telecommunications company, originally received four years in prison after he pleaded guilty to money laundering.

But prosecutors asked U.S. District Court Judge Jose Martinez for a reduction in Antoine’s sentence to 18 months after he testified against other defendants in the sprawling Haiti telco case.

Rubenfeld said Antoine began serving his prison time in January 2011 and will be released soon.

Among the defendants convicted in the Haiti telco case are Joel Esquenazi, whose 15-year sentence is the longest in FCPA history, and Carlos Rodriguez, who’s now serving a 7-year jail term. Both have appealed their convictions.