SANTO DOMINGO. – A National District judge yesterday sent a Swedish citizen of Pakistan origin to jail on charges of defrauding two foreigners out of US$4.3 million, when he posed as the main shareholder of the Renaissance Marriot Jaragua Hotel & Casino, to sell them the State-owned facility.
Permanent Jurisdiction judge Keila Perez sent Sattar Qureshi (Shimmy) to Najayo prison for one month, after denying him bail.
The foreigner, according to Assistant DA Bienvenido Fabian Melo, is the subject of 17 fraud investigations in the U.S.
Melo had asked the court to set bond at 160,000 pesos and an impediment from leaving the country, but Qureshi admitted that he didn’t have roots in the country.
Jitendra Dahya and Jay Patel filed the complaints of conspiracy and breach of trust against the Pakistani, through their lawyers Pedro Domínguez Brito, Emilio Rodriguez Montilla and Robert Martinez.
Another complaint was filed by Wilfried Hoedt, through his lawyers Hipólito Herrera, Juan Moreno and Alberto Fiallo.
According to the accusation, Qureshi took the would be investors on tours of the hotel.
According to the first complaint the money was given in several disbursements of US$25,000; US$444,442 and US$349,251, and transferred to the account of Sonia Cabrera, alleged legal adviser for the Marriot contract, as well as US$20,000 in cash.
The second complaint states the accused received US$797,500 from Hoedt as a deposit for the alleged sellers of the concession.
From: United States, (on Sabbatical)
I keep telling you: Just because they're foreigners(son blancos) and they have money they allow any riff-raff access to our soil!
From: United States, (on Sabbatical)
What is this world coming to?
Now not only do you have to buy your gas, bagel, and groceries from the PATEL posse; They have now come to DR to run the same monopoly game, if only in their minds. The Scandinavian socialist Utopia must be getting pretty boring lately that they have to embark on these acquisition excursions in Quisqueya. Pakistanis? No problem, Sahib??? What's next a Korean invasion? Por Favor! No, El Jaragua can do without the scent of curry, or Al Quaeda in Pakistan, with (on a world-tour with Mohamed my man) Muhammad on tour!
Written by: generoso, 9 Jan 2009 9:23 AM
From: United States, Santo Domingo
This guy needs some kind of award not jail time. Judge should force him to give seminars on
successful scamming to all ex-government corruption masters so they will learn a new trade.
Maybe they can also make a movie out of this scam, it is even funny you would put real money relying on a bunch of promises only. Without carefully studying the ownership documents and legal papers.
I think there could be more behind this story, money laundering or something. I really doubt that persons can dispense of their hard earned money so quickly to a slime ball.
From: Cuba, it is a secret the censors are looking for me
Dread isn't this guy Shimmy partners with your Nigerian banker friend and the guy you have your nest egg with
Written by: generoso, 9 Jan 2009 9:39 AM
From: United States, Santo Domingo
Oh Oh, Get Ready to Rumble!
From: Cuba, it is a secret the censors are looking for me
Like Bernie used to say " Trust me I am here to help you "
Written by: zooma, 9 Jan 2009 10:09 AM
From: United States
Anybody want to buy the "Brooklyn Bridge"?
I "suspect" as Generoso states "there could be more behind this story". It is being held back because the facility is "state owned"?
Written by: Nemo69, 9 Jan 2009 10:14 AM
From: Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo
ArsenioALembertJr
I keep telling you: Just because they're foreigners(son blancos) and they have money they allow any riff-raff access to our soil!
oooo
Come on, get that chip off your shoulder and stop trying to divert attention away from Dominicans by blaming foreigners; get real. (Furthermore Pakistani are not exactly "Blanco" either).
Written by: Juango, 9 Jan 2009 10:34 AM
From: United States, far S. Florida (formerly Santo Domingo)
This is really very funny. I like DA Melo asking for a bond of $160,000 pesos (<$5K USD), for this level of fraud. Thank GOD the judge had some level of Justice and denied it. Shimmy will be dancing at Najayo. Got to love the DR, el Pais de las Maravillas.
From: United States, (on Sabbatical)
nemo 69:
Come on, get that chip off your shoulder and stop trying to divert attention away from Dominicans by blaming foreigners; get real. (Furthermore Pakistani are not exactly "Blanco" either).
It's apparent that you aren't a Dominican?
If you were you would know what I tried to express.
Blanco is the color of Money. Not green!
Blancos are the ones that have the money.
If you are black and DR; You're transformed (in essence) to blanco. It's a money thing!
My Dad grew up in the Capital back in the 30's: He hung out with "the Blanquitos". My dad ain't white; He's a typical brown criollo.
Now, Pakistanis with money are blancos to the Immigration clerk on a measely salary!
Entiendes?
I don't condone it. Ask the Paki-Indians they had their own caste system in India, and that one's thousands of years old.
I just fundamentally object to allowing petty gangsters access to our nation if they can be detected and rejected. There're plenty of cons in DR con Converse.
Written by: bernies, 9 Jan 2009 10:38 AM
From: United States, key west fl
how can anybody go to a foreign country and just like that give anybody money to buy a piece of property before checking with the local land court and without checking ownership . it is really rare and also rise a lot of questions about do the money really can from.
From: Cuba, it is a secret the censors are looking for me
yes bernie especially here in this country where land fraud is so rare and practically everyone can be trusted particularly the lawyers
From: United States
LOL Only in the DR. I agree with Generoso, this guy really needs an award for pulling this stunt. So I guess he gives them a tour of the Jaragua, gets some contracts drafted and executed, and just like that they give him his money. It really cannot be this simple. There is more to this and more involved.
Written by: bernies, 9 Jan 2009 10:53 AM
From: United States, key west fl
the word are out that this country cannot be trusted in land certificate. remembering samana bay were so many people got disfrauted with false lands titles that one piece of land would at to three and four deferents owners.
Written by: josean, 9 Jan 2009 10:55 AM
From: United States
Chauncey,
How are those CAPA CACA bonds sale going?
Written by: Juango, 9 Jan 2009 10:56 AM
From: United States, far S. Florida (formerly Santo Domingo)
Written by: Escott, 9 Jan 2009 11:33 AM
From: Dominican Republic, Cabrera and Sosua a few days a month
Pakistan is an Islamic Country. India is Hindu.
They also hate each other.
People who come here check their brains at the airport when they arrive and pick them up on their way out broke. The expats here will eat your lunch almost as fast as the Dominicans:)
Buyer Beware...
Written by: Nemo69, 9 Jan 2009 12:16 PM
From: Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo
@ArsenioALembertJr
Thank you for clarifying, ahora entiendo.
There is just a lot of anti-foreign sentiment going on lately, so maybe I overreacted.
From: United States, (on Sabbatical)
Nemo69:
If there's a race of people collectively who aren't Mark That prejudiced against foreigners; It's my people! Why do you see a Kaleidescope of people when you go there.....Negros, blancos, Chinos, Japonese, Peninsulares, Franceces, Judios, Italianos, Boricuas, Cubanos,Venezolanos, and Yugoslavios (lately).
Now you will be scrutinized if you don't come correct. We're no push overs, see!
From: United States
This is incredible!!!!!!!!! Man, we have such a huge segment of the population that is corrupt (not all), that even the Arabs are cashing in. Unbelievable! Siento verguenza ajena.
From: United States
The victimizer is a Pakistani, nationalized swede and the victims by the names appear to have the same ethnic origin. The fact of the matter is that the only person who has the ability to screw you is some one you trust. If you don't trust some one it is unlikely that you will get screwed. A con game is a slow process, and the perpetrator must be a cold and calculating actor, who must first have the ability for patience and then a sense of timing before he makes the move. Qureshi gained thier trust, probably spoke the language, ingratiated himself by finding common grounds for friendship. People do business with those they like. If you don't like and trust someone you will never go beyond first base. Now to go as far as he went, required accomplices that would allow him access and mobility around the hotel to enable the fraud. Where was security? How was he able to move around and about as if it was his house? Was this not also the same hotel of a recent crime scene a few months ago?
From: United States
One month jail time is not enough. Throw him in the slammer for at least 2 years. He is a crook.
From: United States, San Diego, California
Only 1 month in jail? I can take that of 1 month in jail and get out rich after that. About taking everything away from him and send him to jail for at least 2 years?
From: United States
ZonaDominicana,
you've made better sense than I.
Written by: generoso, 9 Jan 2009 9:48 PM
From: United States, Santo Domingo
guillermone
Are you speaking as an expert from personal experience or what?
From: United States
No generoso, unfortunately, my experience has been from the other side. It was done to me, but at much less of a scale.
Written by: generoso, 9 Jan 2009 10:37 PM
From: United States, Santo Domingo
guillermone
I hear you, sorry about that. Andrew Carnegie used to say that the mistakes that cost us $10,000
today save us $100,000 10 years from now.
I was just being facetious.
From: United States
no problem gen-I agree with carnegie. Good that you reminded me of him. I use to read a lot of his stuff years ago. I will review his material again just to help me stay always ready and on the alert you never know when you will need it as a defense mechanism. By the way my sister lives in Rio Rancho, how far is that from Santa Fe.
From: Dominican Republic, Boycott Dominican Tourism
they stole Almost a million dollars and all he gets is a year, what a joke. he can buy portection and still come out of jail rich.
Written by: generoso, 9 Jan 2009 11:27 PM
From: United States, Santo Domingo
guillermone
Rio Rancho is close to Alburquerque south I believe. Santa Fe is an hour away. I just drove today
about 60 miles from Santa Fe to Alburquerque.
Anyway I am on my way back to DR, I am in Tucson, Arizona now, close to Tombstone, home of the Earp brothers. I really enjoyed that town and had lot's of fun.
From: United States
Spent some time in Tucson a few years back and liked it very much. The South West USA is definately the real America, with cowboy towns, Earp-Wyatt boys, desert scenery, red lunar-like rock formations, clay-sand soil, giant saguaro and agave cactus. Very impressive during sunsets and sunrise. Some of the flora and fauna kind of reminds me of the rocky ground with cacti and thorny bushes in and around the area near Lago Enriquillo which coincidentally is also located in the SW part of the DR. Have a great trip back to the DR!!!
Written by: generoso, 11 Jan 2009 3:18 AM
From: United States, Santo Domingo
guillermone
Thanks!
By the way I spent some money on the real high boots to ward against rattler snake bites and my buddies tell me now that they hibernate in the winter and don't come out. Now they tell me!
One thing I didn't like and made me nervous was all the sudden border patrol road stops asking you:
"are you an American citizen", that was a little way too much at times. Now I know how Haitians feel.LOL. But you are right this is God's country here. Cowboys are real persons, you don't have to put up with all the BS and pretension of city slickers. And they say things as they are and what they feel like saying, with no excuses, walking the talk. Cowgirls are fun too.
The air is the best healthy and unpolluted like we use to have in DR before all the damn motorcycles and emergency plants fuming all day long. My lungs are clear now!
From: United States
Yeah Gen, cowboys are my kind of folks, down to earth real people, no pretensions:"say what you mean, mean what you say." If everyone would be like that, this world would be a much better place. Coincidentally, I also got stopped by the border patrol. I could not believe after driving for hours on a state hwy, unexpectedly, you come across a road block in search of illegals. Car-by-car they checked to make sure no alien smuggling activity was taking place. Unfortunately, I had been driving for a couple of days and looked uncouth. I appeared to be like someone who had just crossed the border. My cloths were wrinkled, was unshaven and needed a haircut, that along with my strong taino features, straight jet black hair, brown skin, slightly slanted eyes, european nose and lips, definately looked like a target for further inquiry and interrogation. They gave me a hard time regardles of my impeccable english and Boston accent. I was just waiting for them to ask me to pronounce "perejil"
From: United States
one less "investor".
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Now not only do you have to buy your gas, bagel, and groceries from the PATEL posse; They have now come to DR to run the same monopoly game, if only in their minds. The Scandinavian socialist Utopia must be getting pretty boring lately that they have to embark on these acquisition excursions in Quisqueya. Pakistanis? No problem, Sahib??? What's next a Korean invasion? Por Favor! No, El Jaragua can do without the scent of curry, or Al Quaeda in Pakistan, with (on a world-tour with Mohamed my man) Muhammad on tour!
successful scamming to all ex-government corruption masters so they will learn a new trade.
Maybe they can also make a movie out of this scam, it is even funny you would put real money relying on a bunch of promises only. Without carefully studying the ownership documents and legal papers.
I think there could be more behind this story, money laundering or something. I really doubt that persons can dispense of their hard earned money so quickly to a slime ball.
Anybody want to buy the "Brooklyn Bridge"?
I "suspect" as Generoso states "there could be more behind this story". It is being held back because the facility is "state owned"?
I keep telling you: Just because they're foreigners(son blancos) and they have money they allow any riff-raff access to our soil!
oooo
Come on, get that chip off your shoulder and stop trying to divert attention away from Dominicans by blaming foreigners; get real. (Furthermore Pakistani are not exactly "Blanco" either).
Come on, get that chip off your shoulder and stop trying to divert attention away from Dominicans by blaming foreigners; get real. (Furthermore Pakistani are not exactly "Blanco" either).
It's apparent that you aren't a Dominican?
If you were you would know what I tried to express.
Blanco is the color of Money. Not green!
Blancos are the ones that have the money.
If you are black and DR; You're transformed (in essence) to blanco. It's a money thing!
My Dad grew up in the Capital back in the 30's: He hung out with "the Blanquitos". My dad ain't white; He's a typical brown criollo.
Now, Pakistanis with money are blancos to the Immigration clerk on a measely salary!
Entiendes?
I don't condone it. Ask the Paki-Indians they had their own caste system in India, and that one's thousands of years old.
I just fundamentally object to allowing petty gangsters access to our nation if they can be detected and rejected. There're plenty of cons in DR con Converse.
How are those CAPA CACA bonds sale going?
These links are regarding the SCAM, that even LF is involved in, as he was with Ricardo Miranda at the Punta Perla groundbreaking10 days ago.That project does not pass my smell test ! It is the same everywhere in the world, BUYER BEWARE..
http://www.diariodigital.com.do/articulo,36769,html
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/vi....e-Footballer-sues-over-Spain-scam
They also hate each other.
People who come here check their brains at the airport when they arrive and pick them up on their way out broke. The expats here will eat your lunch almost as fast as the Dominicans:)
Buyer Beware...
Thank you for clarifying, ahora entiendo.
There is just a lot of anti-foreign sentiment going on lately, so maybe I overreacted.
If there's a race of people collectively who aren't Mark That prejudiced against foreigners; It's my people! Why do you see a Kaleidescope of people when you go there.....Negros, blancos, Chinos, Japonese, Peninsulares, Franceces, Judios, Italianos, Boricuas, Cubanos,Venezolanos, and Yugoslavios (lately).
Now you will be scrutinized if you don't come correct. We're no push overs, see!
you've made better sense than I.
Are you speaking as an expert from personal experience or what?
I hear you, sorry about that. Andrew Carnegie used to say that the mistakes that cost us $10,000
today save us $100,000 10 years from now.
I was just being facetious.
Rio Rancho is close to Alburquerque south I believe. Santa Fe is an hour away. I just drove today
about 60 miles from Santa Fe to Alburquerque.
Anyway I am on my way back to DR, I am in Tucson, Arizona now, close to Tombstone, home of the Earp brothers. I really enjoyed that town and had lot's of fun.
Thanks!
By the way I spent some money on the real high boots to ward against rattler snake bites and my buddies tell me now that they hibernate in the winter and don't come out. Now they tell me!
One thing I didn't like and made me nervous was all the sudden border patrol road stops asking you:
"are you an American citizen", that was a little way too much at times. Now I know how Haitians feel.LOL. But you are right this is God's country here. Cowboys are real persons, you don't have to put up with all the BS and pretension of city slickers. And they say things as they are and what they feel like saying, with no excuses, walking the talk. Cowgirls are fun too.
The air is the best healthy and unpolluted like we use to have in DR before all the damn motorcycles and emergency plants fuming all day long. My lungs are clear now!