Journalist Maria Cristina Rodriguez of Zona 5 TV program on Telemicro, Channel 5, revealed that the director of the Dominican Agrarian Institute (IAD), engineer Hector Rodriguez Pimentel had purchased a luxury apartment at the Torre Atiemar, now under investigation after the developer, Arturo del Tiempo Marques was arrested and charged in Spain for attempting to smuggle 1,200 kilos of cocaine into Spain. Rodriguez said that Rodriguez Pimentel had paid US$1.8 million for the apartment.
In 2009, TV journalist Alicia Ortega aired a TV show on millions in overvaluing and irregularities when Rodriguez Pimentel was in charge of the government dams department, the Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INDRHI). The Fernandez administration would remove him from the post and appoint him to direct the Dominican Agrarian Institute.
The director of the office for the prevention of corruption in government, Hotoniel Bonilla has called him a “pathological corrupt person.” Bonilla referred to Rodriguez Pimentel’s track record at the Dominican consulate in Haiti, then at INDRHI and now at the IAD.
As reported, Rodriguez used as middle person Aura Peralta, who is deputy director general of the IAD. The TV journalist reported the apartment was purchased in cash.
Rodriguez also mentioned that others who have purchased apartments are plastic surgeon Hector Cabral, Janet Rivera of the Grupo Pedro Rivera, Jangle Marco Antonio Vasquez Rodriguez, owner of the Nativa and Credigas company, and journalist Guillermo Gomez. There are also rumors of several colonels and show business figure, in addition to journalists, being among those who purchased one of the 36 apartments in the 21-floor luxury apartment. Reportedly, apartments were sold from US$1.3 million and maintenance alone for an apartment in the building starts at RD$30,000. The government commercial bank, Banco de Reservas offered financing for up to 85% of the purchase.
Rodriguez on her TV show explained that Arturo del Tiempo Mazarbeitia, son of the Spanish developer, promoted the apartments visiting potential buyers accompanied by executives of the real estate division of the governmental Banco de Reservas.