A prominent Dominican lawyer accused of hosting outings on his yacht in which a New Jersey senator used the services of prostitutes is strongly denying the allegations, saying he will seek a criminal investigation into the source of the reports.
US Senator Robert Menendez has issued his own denial of the allegations from Washington, describing them as “smears.”
The Dominican attorney, Vinicio Castillo Seman, says the allegations, published in US media and on the Internet, are “absurd,” and filed a formal complaint with the district attorney of the National District, Yeni Berenice Reynoso.
Castillo, the son of a presidential adviser and the brother of a Congress member, called a news conference to discuss what he described as the “false and defamatory” allegations that his yacht was the scene of encounters involving prostitutes, two of whom were underage, hired for the use of Menendez.
He said he has known the US senator for about 15 years and had never seen him with a prostitute.
The senator met with reporters in Washington on Monday, 4 February and acknowledged that he flew to the Dominican Republic on the doctor’s private plane. However, Menendez denied meeting with prostitutes and blamed the allegation on political enemies.
Castillo said the episode was a “smear campaign,” aimed at scuttling a contract for port security by a company controlled by Dr. Melgen, a Dominican resident in Florida, which was supported by Menendez, who used Dr. Melgen’s private plane to fly to the Dominican Republic.
The Dominican Republic, which has become a busy transit point for drugs destined for the United States and Europe, has only one X-ray machine to screen port cargo. It was donated by the United States.
In 2002, a company called ICSSI signed a contract to provide screening throughout the country but the government suspended it in 2004 before it went into effect amid claims that it was too expensive and the bid process had not been competitive. A company run by Melgen bought the company in 2011 and he has been seeking to reinstate the contract, which has been tied up in the courts. Recent news reports indicate the company has assets worth RD$50,000 but would bill millions of dollars in fees, considerably increasing the cost of trade. Two former Customs directors, Miguel Cocco and Rafael Camilo, refused to honor the controversial contract.
www.miamiherald.com/2013/02/04/3216911/dominican-lawyer-dismisses-prostitution.html
www.hoy.com.do/el-pais/2013/2/5/465765/Vinicito-Castilloacude-aFiscaliay-pideinvestigar-fuente-que-lo