Dominican Republic Lotto Trial Progresses
Author:
Muhammad Gregory
A whirlwind of activity has taken place around the infamous “Operation 13” case in the Dominican Republic. The case concerns a plot to steal a significant sum from the lottery by rigging a draw in the favor of a group of conspirators. Those accused conspirators include the former leader of the National Lottery himself, Luis Maisichell Dicent. Though there is a large group of people accused in the case, Dicent is one of the most pursued by the case’s prosecutors for possibly engineering the crime.
The Operation 13 trial has finally proceeded to the point of the judges’ deliberations. A 12-year prison sentence has been requested for the lead defendant. ?Ruddy Corporan/Unsplash
Will Dicent go to prison?
A high-ranking member of Dominican Republic’s courts, Claribel Nivar, made a decision quite recently that the Operation 13 trial should be scratched off and begun again. However, things moved quickly after Nivar’s ruling.
Within a week, the Special Prosecutor for the Prosecution of Administrative Corruption or PEPCA, sent their own request regarding the possible mastermind of the Operation 13 scheme, Luis Maisichell Dicent. As the former administrator of the National Lottery, Dicent was high on the list of priorities in terms of the court’s sentencing plans.
PEPCA requested that Dicent be put into prison for a total of 12 years. Separately, the Public Ministry made a request for the sentencing of William Rosario Ortiz of 10 years imprisonment. The sentences for Eladio Batista and Edison Manual Perdomo Peralta followed with eight years each.
The additional defendants in the case are: Rafael Mesa, Miguel Mejía, Felipe Santiago Toribio, Carlos Berigüete, Jonathan Brea and Valentina Rosario Cruz. The remaining six may receive five-year sentences, depending on whether or not the court acts on them or suspends the sentences.
As a part of the trial, evidence was brought forth by specialist anti-corruption prosecutors representing PEPCA. The evidence included special witnesses. Mirna Ortiz, the litigation coordinator for PEPCA, explained that everything that can be given by way of evidence has been shown. It is now up to the court to deliberate on its own with the provided evidence.
That means PEPCA and the Public Ministry have finished their work for now. After providing over 200 individual pieces of evidence from a range of documents, experts and witnesses, the entities can sit back and wait for judges to make the next call.
Dicent, for his part, took part in the trial starting last December. The defendants had their opportunity to make cases during the substantive aspect of the trial. Now that this has concluded, judges Claribel Nivar, Yissel Soto and Katherine Rubio can make their rulings. This ruling will include sentencing for all accused.
Background of Operation 13
The so-called Operation 13 started in May 2021 when a rigged draw was held via the national Lottery in the Dominican Republic. Lotto ball 13 was the winning number. The draw was discovered to be faked and several involved parties were accused of corruption.
According to the Attorney General Office’s initial investigation, two main men were responsible: Luis Maisichell Dicent and William Rosario Ortiz (former head of Fenabanca). They are suspected to have begun their deceitful plan in July 2020. The sum they would have stolen amounted to $8.5 million USD, though damages were determined to be more.
The trial has been plagued with issues, including several appeals and the questioning of the authority of various judges and attorneys involved. However, it did continue. Likewise the National Lottery has proceeded with a change in leadership and direction. It is currently directed by Teófilo Tabar.
