State prosecutors filed charges against the former executive vice president of the Public Electricity Corporation (CDEEE), Rubén Jiménez Bichara, and a brother and two brothers-in-law of former President Danilo Medina for fraud, coalition of officials and money laundering. Jiménez Bichara was the campaign manager for Gonzalo Castillo, the Danilo Medina-backed candidate of the former ruling Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) in the past presidential election of 7 July 2020.
The accusation follows the investigations the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for the Prosecution of Administrative Corruption (Pepca) carried out into the management of the government-owned power utilities – EdeSur, EdeNorte, EdeEste. As a result, the prosecutors have presented evidence of major fraud for more than RD$20 billion.
The former President Medina’s brother accused in the case is Juan Alexis Medina Sánchez. Maxy Gerardo Montilla Sierra and Alexander Montilla Sierra, both brothers of former First Lady Candy Montilla de Medina) are also accused in the submitted case.
Others accused in the case are Luis Ernesto de León Núñez (former general administrator of Edeeste), Rubén Montás Domínguez and Radhamés del Carmen Maríñez (both former general administrators of Edesur), Julio César Correa (former general administrator of Edenorte), Messin Elías Márquez Sarraff, Domingo Antonio Santiago, Miguel Antonio Reyes Reyes, Peter Alexis Francisco Tejada and Dileisi de Jesús Rivera, as well as Julián Esteban Suriel Suazo, Wacal Vernavel Méndez Pineda (also charged in the Pulpo case) and more than 25 national companies that were allegedly part of the mafiosi network against which the complaint was filed on 15 June 2021.
Andres Astacio, executive vice-president of the Unified Council of Electricity Distribution Companies, said the purpose of this complaint is to bring to the attention of the Public Prosecutor’s Office this fraudulent scheme aimed at committing crimes against the Dominican state. He said the evidence indicates widespread rigged, fraudulent and overpriced public contracting that was carried violating Dominican laws by the management at EdeSur, EdeNorte and EdeEste.
The fraud against the state, according to the complaint, was not only carried out through illicit contracts signed by the electricity distribution company (Edes) managements, but was also executed directly with the CDEEE, through bids handled in favor of the defendants, even when such processes were carried out with loans granted by international organizations.
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Diario Libre
16 June 2021