Lousy food

Yes, this is unprecedented. It would be very interesting to get the full story.

But, be reminded far more funds are covertly removed from resort's coffers by entitlement.

If true then they should be appropriately punished.
However I doubt if it is true, but if it is, then a monetary settlement will "fix" it.

Santiago/Miami,
I think I'll reserve judgement until the full story is told. Algo just doesn't jive here....

Get real, the odds are with the receptionist because why the hell a woman sitting behind a desk, in her usual and customary job, all of a sudden, accuse two guests of stealing money, that was missing immediately after they showed up at the cash register?
I bet 100 to 1 that the police will get the real story soon, and the guests are the thieves, it is a given.
And RoyStone I don't agree with your remarks, not all Dominicans are thieves, and women specially are very hard working and honest.
Regarding the delinquent young ones, they should be sent to prison, so they will learn a good lesson, no matter if the moneys are returned, what do you think? Unless they are really Australians, then they should be forced to 5 years of hard labor in the DR-Haiti border.

all dr hotels must alert guests to serious potential of theft in every hotel because of slave labor wages that are impossible to live on alone.

this is more of an example that the dr masquerades to the world tourists that it is a civilized society instead of the banana republic of mafias that it really is! why do you think the hotels look like prisons and tourists are warned not to leave the property without an organized tour!

where is the assault ? robbery yes but it also mentions assault. Why was there $5,000 US in the register and only 5,000 RD ? The story doesn't make any sense if they in fact cleaned out the safe I could understand the US money but to keep $5,000 US on hand?

This is BS. Tourist steals then assaults. And then doesn't flee the scene of the crime. But sits and waits for the competent authorities to arrive. RIGHT?!?!?!

We have no way of knowing what really happened, but a scam is a real possibility.
Consider this: Resorts take a photocopy of guests' passports when they check in, making identification and apprehension a certainty. Even if able to leave the town, they would be stopped at the airport. Even stupid young Americans can figure that out. generoso, I agree that not all Dominicans are thieves, but not all Dominicans are honest either, even Dominican women. Gringos are fair game.

Written by: jasfalon, 30 Nov 2011 8:11 AM
From: United States
Probably the scumbags that are pouring in to Sosua in groups from NY and NJ, for the prostitution and cheap coke.


Such a tourist/scumbag wouldn't stay at lifestyles. Wizeazz

Maybe heading should read;
"Corrupt Dominican cop and receptionist drive another nail in the coffin of their country's tourism industry."?

welcome back, azeen. long time no hear.

Greetings from NY/NJ dread. I couldn't let jasfalon the idiot, scumbag cast such wild aspersions on my fellow NJ/NJ tourist.

generoso, I'd like to take you up on your 100:1 bet - where do I send the money?
Any other takers?

He said Maria Castillo Vargas accused the two of luring her away from her desk by asking her to make a copy, and when she turned her back, committed the assault.....

Hmmm... I realize tourism is down but she was the only one at the frontdesk working at a resort... hmmmm.... She left 6000 dollars out where a tourist could steal it!... hhmmmmm..... How did these tourist know where the money was kept... Hhhmmmm ... I'm going to make an ass umption but why would and american steal a dominican (ass umption) cell phone, unless they spend a lot of time in the DR.... I think somebody or bodies are trying to make there own xmas bonus because tourism is not dead, but it's very sick in the PP/Sosua area... Just recently returned and I never seen the beach in sosua so empty in the day.. Wasn't much better in the night.. my baby let me play one night....jjuuuussstttt one!!!!!

RoyStone
This is the statement by the police coronel:
Coronel Cordero Paredes manifestó que la afectada María Castillo Vargas, de 27 años, dijo que fue asaltada por los dos hombres mientras se encontraba realizando sus labores en la recepción del hotel.

"Contó que los norteamericanos le pidieron que los ayudara a sacar una fotocopia, pero cuando dio la espalda la sujetaron y le taparon la boca con una cinta y la maniataron de pies y manos, logrando llevarse del establecimiento hotelero 1.070 dólares, 5.000 pesos (unos 128 dólares) y un teléfono móvil".

So the published news is incorrect. US1,070 dollars, 5,000 pesos (I advised DT already) and a cell phone were stolen.
She was found bound and gaged with duck tape, hands and feet, now explain how she can do that by herself. BTW the Americans had no passports on them, or on record.
Send the money you lost to Transparencia internacional in Santo Domingo in my name.

My guess it is the worker who is setting up the gringos for a payoff with the police, attorneys and Judge. The story is hard to believe based on what has been written and Generoso I never saw a Dominican woman not out for a dollar or 5000 as the case may be no matter how hard they work at iit.

I never been in a hotel in big D.where there wasn't a securiy guard roaming around. Is it possible ..?

Not so fast, generoso, we have yet to see the final outcome of this.
Maybe you can tell us how 2 Americans got in to the country without passports, (let alone registering at the resort)?
I think most of us smell a rat.

in the first such case since the country became a major tourism destination
major tourism destination???
las vegas, new york city throw in disney world
now where talking major tourism destination
any way they sound like a couple of low-lifes from the states, but this is a good thing. we send all our low-life to the states dont we?
whats a matter baby? after all the gringos that have been killed and robbed though the years in the dr nice to hear this news.
but the dr needs is some a..... kicking . dr low- lifes roam the streets like they have a license to steal and kill every one and every thing dont they?
our uncle north of us should drop a few bombs on the island and watch them run back into the caves and hide.

rats all over the place
name a few
the boys in the dr government who have no f......... education,and the real low-life police and army guys. forget about education they are 1,000 of years behind the rest of the world..

not all Dominicans are thieves.....

====================


Depends by what standards. If by Dominican standards, perhaps so. However if by other developed countries, well only 99% can be classified as thieves. So maybe there is some truth to that statement.

Both "Suspects" were released from prison and charges dropped yesterday. The claims of robbery were fabricated by the hotel employee and the judge dismissed the case accordingly. These two young men have since returned home to the U.S. and are pursing legal action against the hotel

ny pilot you are saying that nothing was stolen by these americans and that they had their passports to fly back home to the USA,,maybe the girl was not even bound and gagged as was suggested here ,,Sounds like the police did a good job quickly
I suppose that the usual crowd wil now say the Police Colonel was bribed so the two americans could get back to the USA !!!

So what is the story?

Ricardolito,
100:1 on $100 wasn't it?
That's $10,000 you owe me.
As a Dominican I assume you will welsh on the bet.

Ricardolito, that is exactly what I'm saying minus the bribery. Logically thinking why would two US citizens pay for a hotel, plane ticket, and all related expenses to show up and rob someone? After committing such a heinous act, then go back to their room instead of running. The hotel claimed they had the incident on tape, but when the judge asked to see it they could not produce one piece of evidence that these two were guilty. Likewise the accused had over ten people that could vouch for their whereabouts the night in question. They were forced to leave their passports in their room when taken into custody. The only crime is the false accusation and imprisonment of these two young men. The US embassy will be investigating as well as the legal team that the two have hired. Their release was solely based on logical reasoning and lack of evidence linking them to any wrong doing. I know this case very well, and it spells scam. Two young Americans who speak no spanish=$$$$ in some eyes

Diving deeper into the fabrication of the accusations, the accuser suggested that her attacker spoke fluent spanish, the two accused could not say one word in spanish. It was also said that the robbery took place at the reception desk, reception does not keep cash at any of the desk so where is the money and cell phone? The arresting officers were insistent that both were of Dominican decent. It was found out that they had spent their entire lives in the US and were of Jamaican decent. The only crime committed was the false accusation and imprisonment of the two young men. The charges were thrown out of court due to logical reasoning on behalf of the district attorney and the Judge and the hotels lack of evidence implicating the two in any wrong doing. One of the accused has written a CNN I-report detailing his story and experience I suggest you all read it before passing any judgement. I know most if not all the details of this case and the truth will come out. All charges were fake.

nypilot,
Welcome to the site and thank you for the information.
What I am wondering is, was the resort part of the scam or were they duped by the receptionist too? Either way I suspect the resort will try and distance themselves from the event. If Leo has any hope for the Dominican tourist industry, he should intervene personally, ensure there is a thorough investigation and crucify those responsible.

Roystone, thanks for the welcome. From what I have come to know of this case, the hotel manager confronted the two as well. It is my belief that there were a few hotel staff members involved in this who were not expecting the charges to be dropped and for them to be released. Since then, the hotel has been silent directing all calls to their attorney; so it seems that they are trying to distance themselves. Whats sad is it was their first time in the Dominican Republic and this was the experience that they had. I'm sure they will never come back and I definitely won't either.

Written by: nypilot, 1 Dec 2011 11:36 AM
From: United States
Roystone, thanks for the welcome. From what I have come to know of this case, the hotel manager confronted the two as well. It is my belief that there were a few hotel staff members involved in this who were not expecting the charges to be dropped and for them to be released. Since then, the hotel has been silent directing all calls to their attorney; so it seems that they are trying to distance themselves. Whats sad is it was their first time in the Dominican Republic and this was the experience that they had. I'm sure they will never come back and I definitely won't either.
---

You should AT THE VERY LEAST praise the legal system that DROPPED the charges by lack of proof...FYI it is legal to hold ANYONE on DR for Investigation based on a founded suspicion for up to 48 HRs...i have been stopped by the police on US and still go there...

airgordo,

Yes the Americans are lucky the judiciary were not in on it this time, perhaps the amount stolen was far to small for them to dirty their hands. However I suspect the local cop was in on it - maybe on a promise from the receptionist - maybe a bit of kinky duct-tape bondage stuff?

I suspect this story will get a lot of media attention in the USA, and if it's popular, the media will present any similar story they can get their grubby hands on, no doubt many more from the Dominican Republic. The negative publicity will offset all the recent BS spin put out by the DR government and tourism industry.

Failing industry - failing state.

airgordo,

I do praise the judicial system for dismissing the case; however I still firmly believe that the case was grossley mishandled from the beginning. These two were not picked up by the tourist police are taken to the tourist prison. They were picked up by regular police. You mentioned that you have been stopped by the police in the states, the major difference here is that is that the police will not detain you based on word of mouth. There has to be some actual proof of wrong doing or probable suspicion. These two were denied phone calls you can not compare being detained there to being detained in the US. Furthermore if the alleged robbery happened the night of the 28 why were the two not apprehended the same night, afterall they were in their hotel room. Sounds to me like those responsible had to put together their story.

To nypilot, thank you for speaking on behave of my son and his cousin who were falsely accused of this crime, As a mother who was concerned about what happen to my son who was held in a holding place for 6 hours with out so much as a phone call to the US Embassy or the us the parents of the young men. The women was lying about the who thing. I pray that one day she will have to answer this.

Anpila03,
Thank you for joining this site, and I am sure you have the sympathy of what has happened to you, your son and his cousin, from all of us here.

DT EDITOR,
Can we have an update on this shameful event?

the questions therefore arise

1..was ANY money stolen?

2..is the desk clerk going to be implicated, in the event that money was stolen?

3..is there a law of agency in the DR, which allows for the aggrieved party to file a withering lawsuit against the hotel, bankrupting their ass for hiring this sled?

They can SUE the clerk and present charges both criminal and civil charges, they can Sue the Hotel on civil, while there might not be prrof enough they can report the cops to INTERNAL AFFAIRS on the police if there was somekind of blackmail or abuse, so YES to your Number 3 question, i don't know about the previous two..

Written by: nypilot, 2 Dec 2011 2:57 PM
From: United States
-----

Good that you beleive that, at least your don;t seem to be an IRRATIONAL DR HATER like the ones that post here...I'm not saying the case was GOOD handled, they should have been allowed to contact the Embassy or their families AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, what happen to those guys actually can happen to anyone here although it is EXTREMELY RARE when tourists are involved, that is our problem with the corruption and abuse on police that will have to be FIXED, however as i said they can argue anyreason to hold you for 48 hours IF SOMEBODY is accusing you or there is flagrant proof of wrong doing...i would think the reason for the quick dissmiss of the charges is heavily based on the reasons you exposed so Obviously the abuse and wrong doing was STOPPED when it reached higher level.

If there were Blackmailed they have a lot of choice to go after whoever did it CRIMINALLY, more now that the public spot was made aware of i

airgordo informs

so YES to your Number 3 question, i don't know about the previous two

well, if there is a law of agency, there is no need to sue the clerk. she has no loot, anyway. just sue the deep pocket, the hotel. they can be sued, jointly, and severally, but why bother suing the clerk?

well i would present criminal charges to her just to teach a lesson...along with the deep pocket as well :-)

Can an ordinary citizen bring criminal charges in the Dominican Republic? Theoretically this is possible in Australia but I don't know if it has ever been tested. As Dready said, no point paying a lawyer to sue someone with no money. I'm still wondering if she did it on her own or concocted it with police.

Roy states

As Dready said, no point paying a lawyer to sue someone with no money.

i do not think a lawyer would take the case , even on a contingency basis. as to airgordo....a citizen cannot file criminal charges against another. they can accuse, but it is up to a grand jury to decide whether to indict, or not.