The prison sentence of star witness in the Haiti Teleco corruption case, Robert Antoine, has been cut by 18 months, which means the former official will soon be released from prison.

Antoine has testified twice in the federal trial in Miami against several South Florida businesses and Haitian telecom officials for foreign bribery charges. The former international affairs director of the troubled, state-owned telecom company, Haiti Teleco, had already pleaded guilty to money laundering charges in March 2010, admitting to taking $1 million in bribes from Florida businesses Terra and Cinergy, in exchange for lower phone rates, discounted costs and contract renewals.

His crucial assistance to the prosecution helped his request for sentence reducetion. His testimony has led to the successful prosecution of former Haiti Teleco's director of international relations, Jean Rene Duperval, who is also the first Haitian government official to be convicted by the U.S. Justice Department under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. He also provided damning testimony in the successful prosecution of former Terra executive Joel Esquenazi. Esquenazi received a 15-year sentence – the longest ever sentence in history for violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.