SANTO DOMINGO.- The Justice Ministry said the Cuban-born Benítez brothers made many personal and mortgage loans, and has identified around 50 debtors, members of the media among them.

Unit Anti-laundering chief German Miranda advised that the debtors will have to show that they’ve paid or that they’re in debt. “And we are making a list to begin the subpoenas already, in the next third stage,” he said regarding another imminent operation.

The official said the third operation has the particular characteristic that it’s been verified by digital, electronic as well as physical evidence. "There some of everything: merchants, humble people, but there are also journalists who’ll have to respond, journalists who also appear as debtors."

Miranda also warned that whether journalists, lawyers, engineers, accountants, civilians or military they’ll have to go to the Unit to clear up their accounts. "Because if they haven’t paid, they must pay that money that corresponds to the government of the United States, because it’s part of the fraud of the Benítezes’ pending investment.”

He said those people –whom he refused to identify- will be subpoenaed so they explain the situation of their supposed dealings with the Benítezes. “If they have not paid, then repossession will be executed on the real estate regarding the collateral that they have given."

He said all those suspected of concealing transactions implicated in the US$110 million fraud against Medicare will have to demonstrate they’ve acted in good or bad faith. "In this case of the Benítezes we are evaluating a series of evidences, boxes of evidence, and I can tell you that it’s possible that when we conclude this second operation we’re going to a third one."

Source: diariolibre.com.do