Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

Dominican Republic arrests officials in Odebrecht bribery probe

Published 05/29/2017, 03:46 PM
Updated 05/29/2017, 03:46 PM
© Reuters. Roberto Rodriguez, former director of national water authority INAPA, is being escorted into a courthouse in Santo Domingo

© Reuters. Roberto Rodriguez, former director of national water authority INAPA, is being escorted into a courthouse in Santo Domingo

By Jorge Pineda

SANTO DOMINGO (Reuters) - Nearly a dozen people, including current and former top officials, were arrested in the Dominican Republic early Monday for ties to $92 million in bribes paid by the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht to obtain public works contracts.

Those arrested included Victor Diaz Rua, who had previously served as the country's public works minister, as well as the Caribbean island's trade minister, Temistocles Montas, who tendered his resignation in a letter Monday.

Prosecutors across Latin America are making arrests after Odebrecht and its petrochemical subsidiary Braskem admitted late last year to bribing officials around the region.

In a press conference at the Justice Ministry, Attorney General Jean A. Rodriguez announced the names of the 14 people, including officials and lawmakers sought for crimes including money laundering, bribes and submitting false financial statements.

Ten were arrested in the Dominican Republic and another was being sought in Panama, Rodriguez said. He said the probe began last December in collaboration with Brazilian and U.S. authorities and that more charges could be forthcoming.

"We conducted 35 interrogations, reviewed financial statements and tax records which revealed unjustified wealth; who took the bribes and under what scenario," Rodriguez said.

Some were skeptical about how deep the probe would go. "They are going to try to bury it all," said Marco Fernandez, a co-founder of the ruling Dominican Liberation Party (PLD).

Andres Bautista, a former congressional leader who now leads the opposition Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM), was among those arrested.

"It's now up to the judges to accept or reject the 18 months of pretrial detention against the defendants," Rodriguez said.

Prosecutors have also asked Congress to wave immunity for one lower house lawmaker, Alfredo Pacheco, and two senators, Tommy Galan and Julio Valentin. Lawmakers across Latin America enjoy such protection from prosecution while in office.

In December, Odebrecht and petrochemical subsidiary Braskem reached a record $3.5 billion settlement with Brazilian, U.S. and Swiss authorities. Odebrecht admitted to bribing officials in 12 countries.

© Reuters. Roberto Rodriguez, former director of national water authority INAPA, is being escorted into a courthouse in Santo Domingo

More details could soon emerge of those cases as a deal between Odebrecht executives and Brazilian prosecutors to withhold details from the public expires this week.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.