New York Woman Indicted for Bribing Federal Official at ICE Detention Center to Release Immigration Detainees

LAFAYETTE - On July 15, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Diana Kutateladze, 37, of Brooklyn, New York, with three counts of bribery of a Louisiana public official, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 201(b)(1). Kutateladze faces up to 15 years in federal prison on each count.

According to court documents, on January 11, 2024, January 16, 2024, and May 28, 2024, Kutateladze allegedly offered money and other valuable items-including tequila, a $100 gift card, and $3,000 in online payments-to a public official in the Western District of Louisiana to influence his official acts. It is alleged that those offered bribes were made to influence the public official to disregard federal immigration laws and recommend the release of immigration detainees. The public official who received these bribes reported them to his supervisors, which resulted in this investigation.

U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.

This case was investigated by Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Craig Bordelon and LaDonte Murphy, with assistance from Legal Assistants Tanya Broussard and Christy Angelle.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer. The case number for this matter is 1:26-cr-00273-o1.

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Public Affairs
United States Attorney's Office
Western District of Louisiana
[email protected]
www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
Twitter @USAO_WDLA