AUSTIN, Texas — A former chairwoman of a City of Austin advisory commission was indicted on charges of conspiracy to misapply funds and falsify records.
A federal grand jury in Austin indicted Jill Ramirez, 68, for several offenses concerning her dealings with a former senior policy advisor to a city official.
According to court documents, Ramirez worked for an Austin-area nonprofit and served as the chair of a City advisory commission. In September 2015, Ramirez agreed to pay 10% of the value of federal grand proceeds from the nonprofit to Frank Rodriguez, the former executive director of the nonprofit and then senior policy advisor to a city official.
Afterward, Ramirez and Rodriguez entered into a "consulting agreement" in December 2015 that was used to disguise the 10% payment. Ramirez then paid Rodriguez more than $21,000 from the nonprofit between December 2015 and December 2016.
Rodriguez continued to work on the nonprofit's behalf while a City employee by providing confidential City information to the nonprofit, recommending that the nonprofit continue receiving City funding and undermining the nonprofit's competitors for City funding.
In 2017, the auditor's office for the City launched an investigation into Rodriguez's conduct. In an interview with investigators, Rodriguez made false statements about the basis of "consulting fees" paid to Rodriguez.
Ramirez was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit an offense against the U.S., one count of falsification of records with intent to obstruct an investigation, and one count of false statements.
A court date has not been set yet. If she's convicted, Ramirez faces up to five years in prison for the conspiracy and false statement charges. She faces up to 20 years in prison on the charge of falsifying records.
Rodriguez was charged separately. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to misapply federal funds and falsify records in an investigation. He is scheduled for sentencing in June and faces a maximum of five years in prison.
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