She was arrested by the FBI in August 2020, and faces 13 charges of corruption for numerous crimes, which include theft and money laundering, perpetrated specifically through a kickback scheme.
In 1986, Charbonier received a bachelor's degree in Arts, with a major in Social Science from the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras.
She was then elected as delegate to the board of directors of the Puerto Rico Bar Association, where she occupied the position of vice-president.
[9] Charbonier served as Secretary General of the New Progressive Party (PNP) during Pedro Rosselló's tenure as Governor of Puerto Rico.
[13][14] She is a controversial figure in politics due to her traditional views on LGBT individuals, the legalization of marijuana, among other subjects.
The Supreme Court of Puerto Rico handed down an opinion dismissing the claim and stating that the plaintiffs did not have a remote chance of prevailing.
[16] During public hearings in 2013 on a bill to extend protections against domestic violence to same sex couples, Charbonier compared homosexuality to pedophilia and bestiality, drawing criticism for other legislators and LGBTQ activists.
[4] In May 2024, the Federal Prosecutor's Office requested a 15-year prison sentence against María Milagros Charbonier Laureano, convicted of inflating the salary of one of her legislative employees to pay him bribes every two weeks.