In a major development in the sprawling Operation Calamar corruption case, the former director of the Casinos Department at the Ministry of Hacienda, Oscar Chalas Guerrero, has admitted his participation in the alleged criminal structure and detailed its modus operandi before Judge Altagracia Ramírez of the Fourth Court of Instruction of the National District.
Chalas Guerrero, one of the key defendants, confirmed the charges brought by the Public Ministry (MP) during the preliminary hearing.
The admission by Chalas Guerrero is reportedly part of a negotiated plea agreement with the Public Ministry, aiming for a reduction in his potential sentence. The prosecution expects the admission will help move the case forward, potentially strengthening their position against the other high-ranking officials implicated.
During his testimony, Chalas Guerrero explained to the court how the embezzlement organization functioned. He named Ramón Emilio Jiménez (Mimilo), Fernando Arturo Crisóstomo, and José Ureña as co-conspirators in the alleged criminal structure. But his testimony, mostly serves to incriminate Donald Guerrero, then Minister of Hacienda.
The Public Ministry’s indictment in the Calamar Operation accuses the group of illicitly diverting over RD$19 billion of taxpayer funds from the state.
These funds were allegedly misappropriated through irregular payments for land expropriations declared of public utility and via bribes intended for the 2020 political campaign.
The high-profile list of principal defendants in this vast Calamar corruption network includes:
José Ramón Peralta, former Administrative Minister of the Presidency
Donald Guerrero, former Minister of Hacienda
Gonzalo Castillo, former Minister of Public Works
Daniel Omar Caamaño, former Comptroller General of the Republic
Luis Miguel Piccirilo, former director of the State Sugar Council (CEA)
Claudio Silver Peña, former director of National Cadaster
Oscar Chalas Guerrero (who admitted the facts) and Julián Omar Fernández, former director of Casinos and Chance Games.
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Diario Libre
Acento
El Dia
3 November 2025