A Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Supervisory Special Agent, Meliton Cordero, was arrested in Washington D.C. on charges related to bribery and U.S. visa fraud, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. The complaint against Cordero was unsealed in the U.S. District Court.
Cordero, 47, had been stationed for six years at the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic. He is accused of conspiracy to commit bribery and visa fraud after allegedly accepting thousands of dollars in exchange for helping foreign nationals obtain nonimmigrant visas to visit the United States temporarily.
“This individual was entrusted by the American people to faithfully execute his duties and represent the American Government abroad as a leader within the DEA,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro. “Instead, he is alleged to have broken the law, squandered this special trust and undercut the President’s immigration priorities. This behavior by any government official is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”
The charging documents describe instances where Cordero met with foreign nationals and provided them with passports and visas in return for cash payments. During his tenure at the embassy, he expedited at least 119 visa applications; at least one application is alleged to have been fraudulent. The documents also state that Cordero often coached individuals before their interviews with U.S. Consular Officers.
DEA Administrator Terrance Cole addressed the allegations: “The alleged actions do not reflect the thousands of DEA professionals who serve honorably every day dismantling transnational criminal organizations and protecting communities at home and abroad,” Cole said. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to professionalism, transparency, and the rule of law.”
Authorities investigating this case include Homeland Security Investigations’ Newark Field Office and Santo Domingo office, the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Department of Justice Office of Inspector General, and DEA agents themselves.
A complaint outlines charges against a defendant but does not constitute evidence of a crime; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The prosecution is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
