J
ohn Christopher Polit, son of former Ecuadorian government official Carlos Ramon Polit Faggioni, has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with an alleged $16.5 million international bribery scheme. The scheme involved funneling bribe money into South Florida real estate and businesses, including condos, office buildings, restaurants, and a dry cleaner.

    Polit's father was found guilty in April by a unanimous jury for his role in the bribery scheme, which involved Brazilian construction conglomerate Odebrecht and Ecuadorian state-owned insurance companies. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison last month. The Polits' cases are part of the fallout from Odebrecht's massive bribery scandal, in which the company pleaded guilty in 2016 to paying nearly $800 million to high-ranking government officials in 12 countries.

    According to a factual proffer signed by John Polit, his father received about $16 million from Odebrecht between 2010 and 2018 for using his government position to prevent or wipe out fines on Odebrecht's projects in Ecuador. The son facilitated the funneling of some of this money into South Florida real estate and businesses.

    Polit will be sentenced on January 30 and faces up to 10 years in prison. As part of his plea agreement, he agreed to potentially forfeit six properties as "substitute" assets if the government cannot collect the full $16.5 million sought. These properties include condos at Merrick Manor and Brickell City Centre's Rise, a mixed-use residential building, and a retail building in Miami.

    Prosecutors had originally pushed for the seizure of one of the condos, but a jury determined it was not involved in the alleged bribery scheme. Polit's attorneys have argued that he is innocent and that former Odebrecht executives who cut non-prosecution agreements with the US government are the true culprits.