SANTO DOMINGO.- Assets that could be worth as much as RD$300 billion are currently being appraised after luxurious tourist resort properties, vehicles, lots, yachts, speedboats, a helicopter and hotels were seized in Dominican Republic’s east coast from four Cuban brothers and another man implicated in a US$110 million fraud against the United States Medicare, perpetrated through clinics in Miami, Florida..

Meanwhile the Justice Ministry revealed that eight alleged Dominican partners of the Cubans, among them notaries, engineers, lawyers, car dealers and industrialists, allegedly contributed with their investment. "We’re speaking of a overall calculation of what we’ve seen. Still to uncover is the package of evidence that we have here," said German Miranda, of the Justice Ministry’s Anti-Laundering Agency.

He said anyone who has done business with the Benítez brothers should contact the Justice Ministry, “so that things are clarified,” through a procedure he said would determine what’s an illicit or what’s a mixed investment. “But we’re going to take it to the limit."

Miranda said accountants and analysts work to tally and determine a definitive amount. "It’s about an international legal cooperation requested by the United States government, since it’s a fraud of Medicare."

The Cuban brothers implicated in the case are Oscar, Carlos, Jose and Luis Benítez, and Thomas McKenzie, accused of fraud, Miranda said, who are on the loose, but according to investigators their whereabouts is already known although declined to provide further details. “Some are abroad," he said, “and they are asked to turn themselves in, and if not they’ll be declared fugitives and will be caught by the International Police if necessary."

Among the goods seized in Altagracia province (east), are a villa, three cabañas, a supermarket, rent-a-car, various lots, an apartment complex, the facility Aqua Park, a hotel under construction, worth more than RD$500 million, around 40 speedboats and yachts, and 21 animals that were taken to the National Zoo, a helicopter, and bank accounts in the millions confiscated and others were frozen.

Also among the properties seized are 10 new vehicles and around 40 others that are sought, believed to be in the hands of third parties.

Since early last week the Police raided areas in the resort towns Bavaro and Punta Cana, with the support of FBI agents.

SOURCE: diariolibre.com.do

Link: www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls/PressReleases/080611-02.html