The Justice Department (Public Prosecutor Office) announced the Discovery Operation is underway to crack down on transnational cybercrime. The network was seated in Santiago with an extension in Puerto Plata on the north coast.
The criminal network members dismantled by the Public Prosecutor’s Office with Operation Discovery operated in Santiago, La Vega, Puerto Plata and Santo Domingo more than 10 call centers dedicated to cybercrime, sexual and economic extortion, and identity theft of US citizens. Hundreds of citizens in the United States were swindled and suffered sexual and economic extortion and identify theft.
The Justice Department says that at least 321 police officers, 45 prosecutors and 105 technicians and 321 police agents are participating in the operation. Raids were carried out in Santiago, Santo Domingo and Puerto Plata.
The actions are developed under the instructions of the Attorney General of the Republic, Miriam German Brito, and the operational coordination of the General Directorate of Prosecution of the Public Ministry, the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office against Crimes and High Technology Crimes, the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Anti-Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism and the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Santiago and the General Criminal Investigations Agency (Dicrim) of the National Police are also participating in the operation.
The ongoing investigation was carried out with the cooperation of agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). These agencies also carried out simultaneous raids in New York City, United States.
During searches in Santiago, La Vega, Puerto Plata, the law enforcement agents seized evidence of million-dollar transactions. The PGR said seven pistols and an Uzi submachine gun were confiscated, US$400,000 and more than RD$19.2 million in cash, 30 high-end vehicles and 300 electronic devices, including cell phones and computers.
In the case, the arrested in the Dominican Republic include: Sucre Rafael Rodríguez Ortiz (Darimán y/o Daria), Máximo Miguel Mena Peña, Emmanuel Castro Ozuna (Billete), Mayobanex Braulio Rafael Rodríguez Fernández, Ángel Rafael Peralta Guzmán, Genaro Antonio Hernández Caba, Pablo Miguel Balbuena (Miguel Ortiz, alias la Válvula) and David Antonio Guzmán Javier.
Those arrested are accused of being part of an association of criminals engaged in money laundering and illegal possession and carrying of firearms.
In addition to sexual extortion and identity theft, the members of the network are also accused of making phone calls to intimidate, sending drugs using delivery services and even usurping official US government roles, including that of FBI agents.
The network relied on cryptocurrencies and the national financial system to move millions in dollars and pesos and acquired millions of dollars in assets as a result of the crimes committed.
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Attorney General Office
Attorney General Office
Attorney General Office
3 March 2022