Rydlyme-gate: A history

[I]Editor’s Note: The following is a timeline of the Rydlyme transactions, according to the indictment papers, and the succeeding trial.[/I] [B]1998-2000[/B]: James Santos and Timothy Villagomez, then CUC’s executive director, ink a deal for CUC to buy thousands of gallons of Rydlyme. The deal gains Santos’ ISLAS Micronesia Sales more than $280,000, violates conflict of interest laws and circumvents procurement regulations, according to federal authorities. Most of the Rydlyme purchased is never used.

[B]August 2007:[/B] Villagomez, now the lieutenant governor, and Santos, now the Commerce Secretary, enlist the help of then CUC executive director Anthony Guerrero to win a sole source contract for the purchase of Rydlyme. The sale is conducted by Blue Pacific, a company owned by Joaquina Santos, and garners the Santoses an estimated $120,000. Villagomez pressures Guerrero and CUC staff to fast-track the deal.

[B]February 2008:[/B] Acting on a report from the CNMI Office of the Public Auditor, the Federal Bureau of Investigation begins examining the details of the sixth and final transaction in the alleged scheme.

[B]July 7, 2008:[/B] Villagomez returns from a conference in New York amid rumors he is under mounting pressure from federal investigators.

[B]July 22, 2008: [/B]A federal grand jury hands down an indictment against Villagomez, Guerrero, James Santos and Joaquina Santos, charging them with wire fraud, theft of federal funds and conspiracy charges. The indictment is then sealed.

[B]July 23, 2008:[/B] U.S. Marshall issues arrest warrants for the Santoses, Villagomez and Guerrero.

[B]Aug 8, 2008: [/B]Guerrero signs a plea deal with federal authorities, pledging cooperation with the case. He pleads guilty to one count of the indictment, conspiracy, and is released pending trial on a $10,000 bond.

[B]Aug. 11, 2008: [/B]Villagomez and the Santos couple are arraigned and they plead not guilty. They are released on $50,000 bonds.

[B]Jan. 15, 2009:[/B] The U.S. government files additional charges against Villagomez and James and Joaquina Santos, adding bribery to the charges already faced by the three.

[B]Jan. 16, 2009: [/B]Villagomez and the Santoses plead not guilty to the bribery and other charges.

[B]Feb. 2, 2009:[/B] Rep. Tina Sablan calls for the creation of a committee to investigate whether there is cause to impeach Villagomez.

[B]March 3, 2009:[/B] The federal court determines that the indictment filed against Villagomez and his co-defendants “is sufficient.”

[B]March 6, 2009:[/B] U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Alex R. Munson summons 227 prospective jurors for the case.

[B]March 31, 2009:[/B] The prosecution and the defense begin their opening arguments in the trial.

[B]April 1, 2009:[/B] The U.S. government calls its first witness, Soc Nilo Villanueva, a former internal auditor of CUC, who said he wrote a report about finding some deviations in the purchase of thousands of gallons of Rydlyme.

[B]April 6, 2009:[/B] The U.S. government files an amended witness list, saying it will call in 30 witnesses, while Villagomez lists 23.

[B]April 16, 2009:[/B] Trial enters 13th day with Guerrero taking the witness stand. Guerrero testified that Villagomez instructed him to double the number of barrels of Rydlyme being requested by the Power Division.

[B]April 21, 2009:[/B] The prosecution rests its case, after Guerrero completed his testimony. The defense does not call any witnesses.

[B]April 23, 2009:[/B] The prosecution and defense lawyers spend the whole day for closing arguments.

[B]April 24, 2009:[/B] Jury renders a guilty verdict against Lt. Gov. Timothy Villagomez, Commerce Secretary James Santos, and his wife Joaquina Santos on all counts.