A judge on the Second Chamber of Instruction in La Romana has handed down the first sentence for the sale of seized properties involved in the case of a network of electronic fraud and money laundering that was dismantled during Operation Cheetah.
Judge Vicky Chalas decided to accept the request made by the prosecutors to sell the assets seized from the different companies involved in the massive real estate fraud. These assets include properties, office equipment, machinery, cement, re-bar, and other materials used in construction.
The stated objective of the advance sale is to avoid the assets becoming damaged during the trial process.
The magistrate said that the funds obtained from the sale of the items and the properties would go into an account, controlled by the State, that could be used to repay the victims of the fraud once a court has ordered the final and definitive confiscation of the assets.
According to news reports, the real estate that was seized by the government was valued at over US$3.0 million. The judge based her order on Article 69 of Law 60-23 that covers the administration of confiscated or abandoned assets.
The group charged in Operation Cheetah reportedly used fake real estate projects, such as Romana Victorian Residences, to bring in investors. They used the cover of well-known real estate giant RE/MAX as their proof of authenticity. The defendants are accused of stealing an estimated US$18,851,000 from potential buyers.
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Listin Diario
17 November 2025