On Thursday, the Cuban regime handed down sentences to seven employees of Havana's Electric Company and 14 residential clients from the Plaza de la Revolución district, all involved in a significant corruption and fraud case.
During a public hearing at Havana's Provincial Court, the accused faced charges of forging banking and commercial documents. They were also found guilty of continuous bribery and manipulating electric consumption, according to a report by Cubadebate.
The fraudulent scheme involved tampering with records through the Integral Automated Commercial Management System, which allowed the perpetrators to artificially lower the actual energy consumption of high-usage clients. The convicted individuals received sentences ranging from six to eight years of imprisonment.
Among those implicated were the provincial system administrator, the company's IT specialist, personnel from the Plaza de la Revolución Commercial Office, inspectors, and meter readers-collectors.
Authorities noted last year that electric fraud incidents are rampant in the nation's capital. In July alone, over 15,000 electricity frauds were detected in Havana, stated José Conesa González, the provincial government's coordinator of industrial programs and objectives, during a meeting of the Provincial Energy Council section.
More than 90% of electric fraud cases in the capital are linked to unreported consumer activities, including undeclared production and service operations to the local Labor Department.
Understanding Electric Fraud and Corruption in Cuba
What were the charges against the individuals involved in the electric fraud case?
The individuals faced charges of document forgery and continuous bribery, along with manipulating electric consumption records.
How widespread is electric fraud in Havana?
Electric fraud is notably prevalent in Havana, with over 15,000 cases detected in July alone, often linked to unreported commercial activities.
Who were among those convicted in the fraud case?
The convicted included the provincial system administrator, IT staff, commercial office personnel, inspectors, and meter readers-collectors.