Sen. Juan Oscar Morales presented, in a live interview on Thursday, a draft of a $38 million agreement using federal TANF funds to implement the Star Academy program. The draft contradicts statements made a day earlier by Gabriella Bofelli, executive director of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration (PRFAA/PRAFAA), who rejected allegations by former ADSEF administrator Blanca Medina Díaz about alleged pressure and harassment by Family Secretary Suzanne Roig to sign multimillion-dollar contracts.
Bofelli had said the agreement never reached the draft stage and that the decision on the project was made internally. Morales showed a draft contract in the name of former ADSEF administrator Antonio Burgos, addressed to NOLA, the corporation representing Star Academy, intended to be signed in 2025. Morales said PRAFAA has a lot to explain and said he would ask Bofelli one question: whether she took part, via Zoom, in the meetings that were held, and what requests she made to Blanca Medina in them.
He also presented emails that, he said, show Itza García sought to formalize the agreement. A related note reports Bofelli saying Medina’s lack of participation could have put PAN funds at risk.