Figueroa Indictment

principe

Member
Nov 19, 2002
531
14
18
Here is a link with a pdf of the indictment agaisnt Figueroa Agosto.

Acusaci?n?contra Figueroa Agosto - ElDia.com.do

You can skip to pg 11. last paragraph to see that DOJ has a good idea of whom in DR was paid off by these guys. Guess time will tell.

"En la acusaci?n, copia de la cual obtuvo EL D?A, tambi?n se establece que Figueroa Agosto hac?a pagos a autoridades dominicanas para realizar sus negocios de narcotr?fico y evitar las detenciones."

Good day all.
 

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
13,369
3,150
113
I read the entire indictment and nowhere does it explicitly states that Dominican law enforcement authorities were paid off.

What it did said was the following:

vnemmb30tspbc5umizc6thw.jpg


Considering that,

(a) The indictment was submitted in a Puerto Rican (aka, United States Territory) court.

(b) The listing of properties confiscated by Figueroa Agosto, et al is included, along with a photocopied photo of each; however, all properties shown are in Puerto Rican soil (aka, United States Territory).

(c) All references to evidence and such revealed in the indictment are limited to the Puerto Rican territory (aka, United States Territory).

(d) Figueroa Agosto 'escaped' from a Puerto Rican (aka, United States Territory) maximum security correction facility, presumably with the help of an insider within the facility and in other Puerto Rican (aka, United States Territory) government agencies.

It's safe to assume that where the indictment makes mention of 'illegal payments to corrupt law enforcements officials', they are referring to Puerto Rican (aka United States) law enforcement officials.

Having said all of that, it goes without saying that some Dominican law enforcements also received illegal payments, but the indictment doesn't mentions Dominican law enforcements or even the word Dominican even appears (except where a quick referencing is done to the Dominican Republic along with other countries to denote the countries used as origin/transhipment/destination of the drugs).

Thus, the claim by El D?a that the indictment documents mentions that Dominican authorities received illegal payments is incorrect and utter nonsense.

When will Dominican journalists stop embellishing their stories? :surprised
 
Last edited:

woofsback

Bronze
Dec 20, 2009
706
233
0
When will Dominican journalists stop embellishing their stories?

it's universal...not just dominican
they need to embellish to create sensationalism or people don't pay attention

as for as police in the dr getting paid...
he could do nothing here without thier getting something in return :)
 

principe

Member
Nov 19, 2002
531
14
18
We will see

The document does not explicitly state that Dominican officials were paid off and as such I will believe that not a single Dominican official committed corrupt acts involving this specific case. Common sense makes that a laughable notion, albeit correct since the document does not explicitly state that.

Like i said time will tell.
 
  • Like
Reactions: waytogo

Mason3000

Active member
Aug 2, 2008
363
46
28
It's hard to sell the DR as a vacation & retirement paradise with people posting about all the international drug syndicates, military boats smuggling cocaine into PR, broad daylight contract killings, money laundering via Real Estate, political corruption, scams, poverty, prostitution & theft.
 

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
13,369
3,150
113
I personally think there's an agenda by some people to tarnish the DR's image. The reasons could be many ranging from envy all the way to outright hatred of all things Dominican. But lets list the more obvious possible reasons (this is not say every person that posts something negative has all of these as their motivation, but definitely at least one of them) in no particular order, as I see (and have labeled) them:

Anti-Dominicanism: The belief that Dominicans and all things Dominicans are inferior, stupid or somehow no worthy of praise/respect. I think this doesn't need much explanation.

Frustrated Messiah: Believed to be some sort of messiah, a savior of the Dominican people. This is the type that moves to the DR thinking they will make Dominicans 'see the light.' Then they realized that not only they are not a messiah, but Dominicans in general don't care much for their foreign ways and theories. Thus, they become frustrated and deal with their frustration by finding all sorts of faults in Dominican society, and then blow them out of proportion.

Frustrated Dominican Wanna-be: This is the type that has issues accepting him/herself and thinks he/she can disconnect themselves from their cultural reality by 'becoming Dominican', not knowing that once you are a part of a culture, you will be a part of that culture until the day you die. While there are plenty that successfully make the transition (never fully because that's impossible), many, if not most, fail. First because they never fully took the time to truly understand the real Dominican culture rather than the superficial half-fabricated in the mind of the Dominican wanna-be culture he thought it was; second because once he discover what Dominican culture is, suddenly he's not interested in becoming Dominican. Now he's committed to badmouthing and minimizing all things Dominican as a sort of 'revenge' for what essentially is his own stupidity. In other words, curse all things Dominicans because we're not how he wants for us to be.

Benign Pro-Haitian: Yes, they exist. They're on a quest of belittling all things Dominican, trying to make Dominicans feel responsible for every little bad thing that happens to Haiti and Haitians in Haiti. They are motivated more by the plight of the Haitians and simply want Dominicans to give them a hand; however, they go about this in all the wrong ways that in the end causes Dominicans to further themselves away from all things Haitian, even helping them. The reaction of the benign pro-Haitian towards a Dominican depends almost entirely on the Dominican's attitude towards Haiti and the Haitians. Any signs of discontent or worry, even when hatred or belittling of things Haitian is not apparent, is enough for the benign pro-Haitian to not fully trust such Dominican.

Envious Pro-Haitian: These are just like the previous one, except that they are frustrated at the situation in Haiti and envy the DR for being able to avoid being like Haiti (ie. every time something good happens in the DR, they're always there to diminish it or reduce it to some disgraceful wishful thinking). Their goal is to be a major headache to Dominicans, at least as long as Haiti remains in the hole its in. They know Haiti is messed up, but they can't stand that the DR is not as much. They would like to either see the DR and Dominicans destroyed, if not 'Haitianized' under the belief that it will cause Dominicans to let the funds flow to Haiti for building roads, schools, hospitals, basically build the whole country. If the DR survives, great; if it doesn't, still great! The idea is to not have Haiti behind the DR in development.

White Supremacy: I don't think there's much of this, but it probably exists among some folks. Dominicans are non-White, hence will never amount to anything. That's the gist of it. In the mean time, they need to prove it, at least to themselves.

Black Supremacy: Similar to the WS, except that these have a intense hatred towards Whites and lack confidence towards Mulattoes (unless the Mulatto practices self-hatred by claiming to be Black as oppose to, well, Mulatto. It's a way of denying and expressing hatred towards their White heritage). With almost 90% of Dominicans being either Mulatto (who definitely don't see themselves as Black) or White, add to that the DR being ahead of Haiti, add to that the meaning Haiti has for Black Supremacists, add to that the widely known theories of the White Supremacists; it doesn't take much thinking to understand why these people feel like they do towards the DR. Their goals are to either convince the Mulatto Dominicans that they should consider themselves Black to eventually oust the Whites, or to keep Dominicans frozen regarding the Haitian migration ordeal until the DR is so Haitianized that it becomes indistinguishable from Haiti, and then they can oust the Whites and even the Mulattoes that refuse to see themselves as Black.

Extended Anti-Haitianism: A group of individuals that have a hard time believing that a country next to Haiti can be so different. This I've been witness to with one former friend native of Panama. Before he knew I was Dominican, he revealed to me that he doesn't think a country next to Haiti can ever amount to much. This was during the Baninter crisis.

Plain Old Pessimists/Cynicals: People that always see the glass half-empty, and if you say it's half-full, it means you're trying to hide the sun with one finger. They know how everything will fail. It doesn't matter what it is, they find a way to ruin it. Amazing people that could've been much help to humanity had they not been so freaking negative! :cheeky:

Inferiority Complex: This applies mostly to Dominicans that have such an inferiority complex towards all things Dominican, that, especially when they move abroad, react as if they are part of the hegemonic society. They think that because they no longer live in the DR, that they are above all the Dominicans still living in the country, and much worst are those who can move abroad but choose to stay. They often fail to notice that many non-Dominicans that show a lack of faith on all things Dominicans do so precisely due to the Dominican people, hence the problem is in the people. They fail to notice that despite living abroad, they are perceived by some to be less for simply being Dominican.

So, there you go. :pirate:
 

MikeFisher

The Fisherman/Weather Mod
Feb 28, 2006
13,766
2,195
113
Punta Cana/DR
www.mikefisher.fun
It's hard to sell the DR as a vacation & retirement paradise with people posting about all the international drug syndicates, military boats smuggling cocaine into PR, broad daylight contract killings, money laundering via Real Estate, political corruption, scams, poverty, prostitution & theft.

Now that sounds like the description of the Daily Miami/Fl Routine to me.
and Yes,
the DR and it's Big Shots are trying to copy the Northern Big Shots,
doing large Business together.

Mike
 

Mason3000

Active member
Aug 2, 2008
363
46
28
I personally think there's an agenda by some people to tarnish the DR's image. The reasons could be many ranging from envy all the way to outright hatred of all things Dominican.

I personally think there's an agenda by some people to sugarcoat the DR's horrendous problems. The reasons could be many ranging from personal profit motive (it's usually this) all the way to a complete lack of self awareness of how dangerous & corrupt the Dominican is.

Until apologists pull their heads out if the sand & admit that contract killings, a Real Estate market based on money laundering, lawyers/judges/Real Estate/military agents openly stealing foreigners Real Estate properties & business investments, kidnappings, cocaine airdrops, mass killings, mass poverty, mass prostitution, Dominican Navy boats delivering drug shipments internationally & high level military/political partnerships with the Colombian Cartels are not acceptable & normal....things will never get better.
 

porkman100

Gold
Apr 11, 2010
7,468
39
48
Nals..I read your post #6 several times and each time made sense and more sense...because is all so true. Frustrated messiahs are critical of the Dominican education system, in which parents for the most part and at a great sacrifice provide for the education of their own children and consecuently not saddle property owners with a never ending property tax that most elderly could not pay, as they do.. in more progresive and advanced countries.
And the Dominicans wanna-be.. there is a bunch of them out there
 
  • Like
Reactions: mike l

pedrochemical

Silver
Aug 22, 2008
3,410
465
0
What about people who just say it as they see it?
What about people who live here because they want to but are honest about the place - warts and all?
 
  • Like
Reactions: rice&beans

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
13,369
3,150
113
I personally think there's an agenda by some people to sugarcoat the DR's horrendous problems. The reasons could be many ranging from personal profit motive (it's usually this) all the way to a complete lack of self awareness of how dangerous & corrupt the Dominican is.

Until apologists pull their heads out if the sand & admit that contract killings, a Real Estate market based on money laundering, lawyers/judges/Real Estate/military agents openly stealing foreigners Real Estate properties & business investments, kidnappings, cocaine airdrops, mass killings, mass poverty, mass prostitution, Dominican Navy boats delivering drug shipments internationally & high level military/political partnerships with the Colombian Cartels are not acceptable & normal....things will never get better.
The problem with that assertion is:

Contract killings are exceptions not the rule.

The real estate market is NOT based on money laundering.

Lawyers/judges/real estate/military agents that openly steal foreigners real estate properties and business investments are FEW and FAR BETWEEN.

Kidnappings are also rare.

Cocaine droppings have practically disappeared.

Mass killings hardly exists, unless you're counting people that die in accidental fires or something.

Mass poverty when less than half of the population is poor is not 'mass'.

Every week folks related to the drug industry, big and small, are arrested, extradited and put in their place. Of course, to doomsdayers this is worthy of ignoring. :cheeky:

But, the one that always gets me laughing are those that claim the economy is based on drugs.

Oh really?

Where is the proof, because all the studies that have been done concerning concerning drugs dominating ANY economy is that economic growth turns negative, NOT positive. Drug trafficking doesn't contributes to economic development or growth.

Go ahead and check the stats yourself, but we all know it will fall on blind eyes and/or deaf ears, because we all know how the world must be warned of the approaching end.

Here's a quick excerpt to help you and those who think like you understand a simple concept:

In 1998 and 1999 in the Andean sub-region, for example, coca bush cultivation in Bolivia and Peru decreased while in Colombia it increased. During that period Bolivia and Peru witnessed economic growth that was above the Latin American average while Colombia experienced a decline in economic growth, according to the analysis.

A similar pattern was observed in countries in Asia, the report says. Afghanistan had negative economic growth and instability beginning in the early 1990s with massive increases in large-scale opium poppy cultivation. In the neighboring countries of Pakistan and Iraq, opium poppy cultivation was significantly reduced or eliminated and there was positive economic growth in both countries in the 1980s and the 1990s.

Read more: Illicit Drugs Damage Economic Growth

They could also add Haiti as an example, pre-UN taking control economy tanking and drugs booming; after UN took control, drugs busted and economy began to grow for the first time in years until the earthquake happened. But, it goes to show once again what has been stated above. Yet, the DR economy never declined (except during the banking crisis in 2003/04), it simply grows and grows and grows, while the drug trade declines, declines and declines. All of this thanks to the authorities working to rid the country of this problem, despite some folks conveniently ignoring the positive effect those efforts are having.

Yet, this is the Dominican reality:

IMF expects the Dominican economy to grow 7%, Central Banker says

Santo Domingo.- An International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation that visited president Leonel Fernandez in his office today rendered to the chief executive a ?highly? satisfactory report on Dominican Republic?s economic performance and expected growth of 7% this year.

The visit by the delegation, accompanied by Central banker H?ctor Valdez Albizu comes after a commission of the IMF concluded the fourth revision of the monetary program signed in November last year.

At the end of the meeting Valdez Albizu said the IMF told Fernandez that as the result of the country?s economic performance from July to September, the economy grew 7.6%.

The Central Banker said the IMF noted that the Dominican economy is growing so vigorously that it has exceeded expectations, reaching a 7.6 percent growth in the last three months. He added that the economy is expected to grow 7 percent by yearend.

http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/ec...minican-economy-to-grow-7-Central-Banker-says

Where is the evidence that it's "all based on drugs"?

Here's another 'enigma' for the naysayers:

Retailing in the Dominican Republic continued to expand in 2009 reaching sales of Do$300 billion. Developments in modern grocery retailing formats such as supermarkets and hypermarkets boosted sales over the review period, resulting in marginally lower growth rates in 2009 as retailing sales cooled, impacted by the global economic downturn, but by no means as much as many of its neighboring countries. Economic and retail activity remained vibrant.

Consumers will continue to realise that buying from supermarkets has several advantages compared to independent small grocers. A growing emerging middle-income segment will continue to change its consumer habits towards standardised quality products, variety, special offers, added-value services that an independent small grocer cannot offer. Upper-income and emerging middle-income consumers with enough disposable income realise that they can save on the unit price when purchasing from supermarkets, taking advantage of special sales and larger pack-size products. All these factors will continue to drive consumer preferences towards supermarkets even more into the forecast period.

Retailing in Dominican Republic

Where is the evidence?

Then we have this:

<object width="640" height="505"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XeMNhi9vFCI?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/XeMNhi9vFCI?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="505"></embed></object>

Again, where is the evidence that the Dominican economy is based on drugs?

And let's not forget this: http://www.dr1.com/forums/911397-post297.html

Where is the evidence?

Oh yes, there is none.

Case closed, have a good night! ;)
 
Last edited:

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
12,290
519
113
T
But, the one that always gets me laughing are those that claim the economy is based on drugs.

hahahaah, it makes me laugh too. I think some of these people should only come and spend a day in the clinic where I work at. Then I would like to have them show me who is a drug dealer there. Most will come in cars that many americans and europeans can't afford in their own countries. They will come with their assistants, drivers etc. Not one is a drug dealer yet these are the people who move this country ahead. So please don't confuse yourselves into thinking the dominican york drug dealrs are running the economy here. Those chopos don't get passed motels, carwashes and passion puta club. There are not seen anywhere else.
AZB
 
  • Like
Reactions: MikeFisher

MikeFisher

The Fisherman/Weather Mod
Feb 28, 2006
13,766
2,195
113
Punta Cana/DR
www.mikefisher.fun
no Disagreement, Waytogo,
the Truth is that Narcotraffic would not work/function with "Allies/Corrupted Men in Power on all ends of the line of Transit.
starting in Colombia, via the DR TRansit, and ending in the USA where SHIPLOADS come in without any Coastguard, Customs, Homeland security or other Crap seems to be able to get 'em, WHY??
because they are on the Payroll, of course.
If they can not keep out Shiploads/Containerloads/Planeloads of unwanted illegal Narcotics from entering their soil, How they want to prevent terrorists to enter with lil things such as a few hundred grams of deadly Bacterias or such aside of it's availability there locally anyways??
such Networks ONLY Work with the Powers Corrupted on bioth Ends of the Transit Line, produced at one end and welcomed at the other end.
WHY they do it??
one one hand for the Big Money of Course, that's what Corruption is all about.
and on the other Hand it is politics of course, ""Fighting Drugs"" ben a very Poppular Theme for the uneducated Masses for decades, it allowed the Gubmints to blow out countless Billions of Greenbucks on Trainings/Weapons etc etc etc and made some Powerful Men very very Rich.
and those powerful RICH Men are in Powers in all involved Countries.
their newest Venture to even Increase the Big Incomes:
that's the new Slogan, "Legalize It",
it will be the same Guys making the Bucks out of it.
just My Opinion of course.

Mike
 

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
13,369
3,150
113
What studies were used to reach such conclusion? Who exactly wrote that article? What authority figure in the field (ie. economist, since we're talking about the Dominican economy) were interviewed and/or is the basis from which such article's assertion is based?

Of course, none. Quite the contrary to the articles I've linked to, all backed by studies/data/expert's advice.

BTW, since I don't believe in ghosts, I find it odd that people would put much faith on news articles that, aside from not being based on any quantifiable studies/expert's advice/source, was not worthy enough of being signed by its author. Not even a pseudonym.

This is very similar to that article that was published in Diario Libre concerning the airplane that disappeared from Cibao Intl and according to the journalist, the airplane was seen again in Santiago and the passengers were seen somewhere. When Hillbilly talked to someone that works at Diario Libre, the answer was "it was a mistake."

Folks, link to articles backed by quantifiable facts/studies, not some nonsense someone decided to write about for the sake of writing about it and then, not even bother signing it.
 

Mason3000

Active member
Aug 2, 2008
363
46
28
"But, the one that always gets me laughing are those that claim the economy is based on drugs. Oh really? Where is the proof, because all the studies that have been done concerning concerning drugs dominating ANY economy is that economic growth turns negative, NOT positive. Drug trafficking doesn't contributes to economic development or growth. Go ahead and check the stats yourself, but we all know it will fall on blind eyes and/or deaf ears, because we all know how the world must be warned of the approaching end."

Kindly point out where in my post I said "the economy is based on drugs"? Reading comprehension.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mike l

greydread

Platinum
Jan 3, 2007
17,477
488
83
I personally think there's an agenda by some people to tarnish the DR's image. The reasons could be many ranging from envy all the way to outright hatred of all things Dominican. But lets list the more obvious possible reasons (this is not say every person that posts something negative has all of these as their motivation, but definitely at least one of them) in no particular order, as I see (and have labeled) them:

Anti-Dominicanism:

Frustrated Messiah:

Frustrated Dominican Wanna-be:

Benign Pro-Haitian:

Envious Pro-Haitian:

White Supremacy:

Black Supremacy:

Extended Anti-Haitianism:

Plain Old Pessimists/Cynicals:

Inferiority Complex:

So, there you go. :pirate:

Wow!

That obviously took a lot of time, what with fitting everybody in those neat little cubby hole drawers and everything. I don't want to spoil this perfect picture of the New World Order but there's one group which you completely failed to mention...

Those Pesky Government Statisticians:

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/dr.html
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
936
113
Didn't the US Ambassador come out in November blasting the DR about the money laundering?

Was he full of....err..."misinformation?"
 

principe

Member
Nov 19, 2002
531
14
18
- -

I think you guys were referring to Christopher Lambert's comments this summer?

EU dice narcotr?fico influye econom?a RD - ElNacional.com.do

More interesting is the missing bucket: People who call it how it is.
Humurous.

The initial post mentioned nothing as to the % or pervasiness of illicit drug activity in the economy, not my claim. It was a much more simple and conservative point, which I welcome you to re-read in my first response.

In my spare time from work and my MBA, I'll calmly go through the DR related wires and see what the misinformed believe.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mike l

MikeFisher

The Fisherman/Weather Mod
Feb 28, 2006
13,766
2,195
113
Punta Cana/DR
www.mikefisher.fun
I do find it interesting that there has been no study done to see what percentage of drug money is involved in the DR economy. If you read DR1 or see any local news, there are articles weekly about DNCD agents, local police all the way up to the chief, and/or the occasional government official tossed in who are arrested for some type of involvement with drug running.

I bet there are much more Billions of Drug Money involved in the USA Economy than in the small DR Economy, and in case of Corruption on ALL SIDES, it is the same present there, or do You think the Narcotraffickers can ship Cargo Ship and Planeloads of the stuff to american Soil without the lil 'Help' of officials there?

that specially this year 2010 so many officials, up to highest Ranks in Navy, Army, Airforce, Police including the Police's Special Drug Forces DNCD got caught and brought to Justice is IMHO a very positive thing, show's that the Gubmint is moving on the matter.
and in latest cases they did not just catch some small delivery Boys to hang publically while the Big Dogs run free, it looks like some are out there doing their job right.
which Country could you name running it's Matters so perfect and corruption free that they could point their dirty fingers on the DR?

Mike
 
  • Like
Reactions: greydread

principe

Member
Nov 19, 2002
531
14
18
- -

Claro que yes. It's movement in the right direction.

Purchasing the Tucanos was even more a blow to the drug shipments via air drops.

Nevertheless, I am referring to one specific case, this one. Que tan complicado es?