MIAMI, Fla. (CBS12) \u2014 A former chief executive of a Miami-Dade-based purchasing cooperative that served Subway franchisees and her brother have been charged in an alleged $80 million bribery and money-laundering scheme, federal prosecutors said Thursday.<\/p>\n
Janet Risi Field, 66, of Pinecrest, and Steven Louis Risi, 70, of Coral Gables, are accused of concealing millions of dollars in alleged kickbacks paid by vendors seeking contracts to supply Subway franchisees across North America.<\/p>\n
The indictment identifies the company only as \u201cRestaurant Chain-1.\u201d But the Independent Purchasing Cooperative, or IPC<\/a>, has publicly identified itself as a Subway <\/a>franchisee-owned purchasing cooperative.<\/p>\n Risi Field helped establish IPC in 1996 and served as its CEO until December 2021, according to the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office for the Southern District of Florida. Prosecutors said IPC negotiated food, supplies and service prices for thousands of franchisees.<\/p>\n Federal prosecutors allege Risi Field entered secret arrangements with brokers connected to IPC vendors, including vendors that supplied deli meats, cheeses and cookies. The brokers allegedly shared a portion of their fees with Risi Field and members of her family.<\/p>\n Risi Field, her brother and other family members allegedly used shell companies to hide more than $60 million in alleged bribe and kickback payments, prosecutors said.<\/p>\n According to the indictment, Risi Field used alleged proceeds to renovate and furnish homes in Florida and North Carolina, buy more than $400,000 in jewelry, make private investments and cover personal expenses.<\/p>\n Prosecutors also allege Risi Field caused a co-conspirator to create a multimillion-dollar slush fund that paid out about $25 million, primarily benefiting her and others involved in the scheme. The indictment says about $3.4 million of alleged proceeds went toward Risi Field\u2019s credit-card bills.<\/p>\n