A former state deputy insurance superintendent indicted last week on charges of extortion, mail and wire fraud and corrupt solicitation pleaded not guilty on Monday, the Albuquerque Journal is reporting.
Joe Ruiz is accused of offering to reduce administrative fines for insurance companies if they donated to specific charities, including one that sold children’s books Ruiz authored. He’s also accused of pressuring one company to settle a claim for a state senator who isn’t identified.
Ruiz, who is facing 31 felony counts, was released on his own recognizance, the Journal reported.
Five companies paid a combined $102,000 in donations and weren’t fined, the Journal reported, while five others refused and had to pay reduced fines.