Three Dominican military officers sentenced to 20 years for $75 million fraud against the state
A court in Santo Domingo sentenced 29 defendants for defrauding over 4.5 billion pesos during the government of Danilo Medina.
Historic conviction of high-ranking military commanders in the Dominican Republic
The First Collegiate Court of the National District sentenced three high-ranking military officers to 20 years in prison on Tuesday for defrauding the Dominican State of over 4.5 billion pesos—equivalent to approximately 75 million dollars—according to infobae.com reporting with information from EFE.
Those sentenced to 20 years are Major General Adán Cáceres Silvestre, General Juan Carlos Torres Robio and Colonel Rafael Núñez de Aza. General Julio Camilo De los Santos Viola received a sentence of 15 years imprisonment.
Cáceres Silvestre and Torres Robio held high-ranking positions during the presidency of Danilo Medina (2012-2020): the former headed the Presidential Security Specialist Corps (Cusep) and the latter led the Tourism Security Specialist Corps (Cestur). Núñez de Aza served as financial officer of Cusep, whilst De los Santos Viola was deputy director of the same body.
According to the Public Prosecution Service, the scheme involved registering people in the payrolls of Cusep and Cestur who provided no services but received salaries, funds that were subsequently diverted to the senior commanders of both bodies. The practice extended between 2012 and 2020.
In total, the court handed down sentences against 29 defendants, with penalties ranging from 3 to 20 years imprisonment, in addition to substantial fines and the dissolution of several companies linked to the scheme. The network was dismantled in 2021 through Operations Coral and Coral 5G.
The ruling was issued in the early hours of Tuesday, following almost 12 hours of continuous proceedings. Deputy prosecutor Wilson Camacho described the sentence as "exemplary" and "historic", noting that it sends a clear signal against impunity in the country.
Source: Google News DO — Crime