CurrentReport blog Former United States Ambassador to Bolivia, Victor Manuel Rocha, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for espionage against the American government over a span of more than ten years.
The sentencing was handed down by US District Judge Beth Bloom in Miami following Rocha’s admission of guilt on two charges, including acting as a foreign government’s agent.
Rocha was also ordered to pay a $500,000 fine, marking the highest penalty permissible for his actions. It was revealed that he engaged in espionage activities on behalf of Cuba against the US government, leading to what Attorney General Merrick Garland described as “one of the most extensive and enduring infiltrations of the US government.”
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen commented on the matter, stating, “Today’s plea and sentencing brings to an end more than four decades of betrayal and deceit by the defendant.” Olsen emphasized Rocha’s admission to acting as an agent of the Cuban government while holding positions of trust in the US government, labeling it as a “staggering betrayal of the American people.”
Rocha’s extensive career in public service, spanning over two decades, included high-ranking positions in multiple embassies and a role as ambassador to Bolivia from 2000 to 2002. He also served in the White House during the Bill Clinton administration.
