Prison sentences for egg theft scheme in Cuba

Prison sentences for egg theft scheme in Cuba
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
03/20/2015 1:23 PM 03/20/2015 1:23 PM

HAVANA
More than a dozen people were sentenced to between five and 15 years in
prison for conspiring to divert millions of eggs to the black market,
Cuban official media reported Friday.

Eighteen suspects were convicted and one was acquitted, Communist Party
newspaper Granma said, in a case where prosecutors had sought terms of
up to 20 years.

Granma reported last week that the suspects included executives of the
state-run egg distribution company in Havana as well as accountants,
drivers and other workers.

They were accused of misappropriating more than 8 million eggs from
January to October 2012, causing an estimated $356,000 in losses to the
company.

The charges included food theft, generating fraudulent receipts and others.

The government has tried to crack down on corruption in recent years,
sentencing dozens of officials, workers and foreign businesspeople to
lengthy terms.

Employees at state-run businesses often pilfer goods from their
workplaces to sell on the black market as a way of supplementing
government salaries averaging around $20 a month.

Islanders also receive a monthly ration book that provides for part of
their food.

Source: Prison sentences for egg theft scheme in Cuba | Miami Herald
Miami Herald - http://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/article15461369.html