Public corruption trial of businessman Chilo Madrid begins

The trial of former Aliviane CEO Chilo Madrid is underway at the federal courthouse in Downtown El Paso.

Madrid is accused of taking part in a scheme that defrauded a county program for mentally ill children out of more than half a million dollars.

A jury of six men and six women has been selected to hear the 67-year-old Madrid’s case.

As part of the scheme, Madrid was allegedly paid $100,000 to produce a 20-page report for the Border Children’s Mental Health Collaborative.

Madrid has admitted to plagiarizing the report from the internet. Among the list of potential witnesses in the case are former County Judge Dolores Briones, who pleaded guilty last year to taking bribes in exchange for her support of a contract a company known as LKG Enterprises had with the Border Children’s Mental Health Collaborative.

LKG’s CEO Ruben “Sonny” Garcia, who worked previously with Madrid at Aliviane, is also a potential witness.

He pleaded guilty last summer to paying bribes totalling $24,000 to Briones.