DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

Once a symbol of opulence, Villa Caracola, an oceanfront estate allegedly tied to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, now stands in ruins in the exclusive Cap Cana resort in the Dominican Republic, Diario Libre reports. The multimillion-dollar property, located near Playa Juanillo, has been left to decay following its seizure by US authorities over alleged connections to corruption and drug trafficking networks.

Spanning over 3,000 square meters of construction on a 6,000-square-meter lot, the mansion was originally purchased for approximately US$13 million and later resold for US$18 million. The transaction involved Venezuelan businessman Samark José López Bello, designated by the U.S. Treasury Department as a frontman for former Venezuelan Vice President Tareck El Aissami and a key figure managing assets linked to Maduro.

Designed by the prestigious...