It has only recently become public knowledge that the former Central Bank deputy governor, Felix Calvo, acted as president of a financial intermediary firm known as BONAOP and which is a subsidiary of Crediya, as reported in Hoy newspaper. A lawsuit filed by lawyers Jorge Lora Castillo and Gustavo Biaggi Pumarol, representing the Plaza Lama stores, suggests that Calvo had agreed to pay the debt BONAOP maintained with Plaza Lama for the collection on the financing, which he did not do. Instead, the financial intermediary firm was transferred to the Inmobiliaria Banco de Reservas, a government entity, and the debt was left unpaid. The lawsuit explains that Plaza Lama financed the sale of the items sold by the store with Crediya, as reported in Hoy newspaper.
The same newspaper carries Calvo’s side of the story and his allegations that the legal action comes following a blackmail attempt on behalf of Mario Lama regarding the Baninter bank debacle. “The story is a short one: In Baninter, Mario Lama did what he wanted because of his family ties to Vivian Lubrano, his son Pedro Juan Lama’s mother-in-law.”
He added: “When I was deputy governor of the Central Bank, Mario Lama and his sons tried to get me to accept a swap of debt in their favor, a plan that I rejected.” He explained how the Lama family wanted to exchange US$3 million of debt with Baninter for RD$8 million in accounts receivable that Plaza Lama had with the Financiera BONAOP, in which Baninter was the majority shareholder. He said the first debt had guarantees, while the second did not.
Calvo furthermore said that he held one share in BONAOP, his wife held one share and his son another. He stated that the company was liquidated and everyone received their money in a process that was authorized by the Monetary Board and the Superintendence of Banks and that is documented.
He announced that he would countersue the Lama family.