Drug lord’s lover links him to Dominican Republic’s opposition leader(Update)

Santo Domingo.- The suspicions that Puerto Rican kingpin Jose Figueroa Agosto had close ties with leading politicos and business leaders could materialize, with accounts by local media that Miguel Vargas Maldonado, president of Dominican Republic’s major opposition party (PRD) received money from the convict.

PRD spokesman Wilfredo Alemany announced a statement to be issued by Vargas in the coming hours, in response to allegations by Figueroa’s paramour Sobeida Felix, that her lover gave the former PRD presidential candidate US$300,000 and a SUV.

In her first deposition filed in March 2011, Felix said the Puerto Rican drug lord dined three times with Vargas in 2008, during his presidential campaign.

She said the first donation of money was during a private dinner at the home of Joani Fermin, in the gated community of Los Pinos, where in addition to the hostess and her husband, Paul Egan, were present Figueroa’s wife, Leavy Nin Batista, Figueroa and herself.

She said that night Figueroa gave him US$100,000 in cash and $200,000 more and a Mitsubishi Montero SUV afterwards, during other dinners held at the Puerto Rican drug lord’s home.

Alemany told diariolibre.com and elnuevodiario.com.do that he’s awaiting Vargas’ statement to release it to the media Sunday afternoon.

Figueroa is being held in New York on drug trafficking charges and a murder conviction.

More names

Felix also revealed that Figueroa gave thousands of dollars and expensive watches to retired Police major generals José Luis Domínguez Castillo and Luis Darío de la Cruz Consuegra, and to retired colonel Adolfo Sanchez Perez.