Operation 13 Trials Continues in Dominican Republic

The infamous “Operation 13” will continue its journey through the court in the Dominican Republic in the new year. The trial was up and running again before the holidays, in early December 2022. It will require several sessions more to determine what consequences the various defendants will face, if any, though it is likely they will be found guilty for at least some of the counts they are charged with.

“Operation 13” will proceed into 2023, thanks to new rulings. Kind and Curious/Unsplash

A new step in the Operation 13 proceedings

The “Operation 13” drama has been ongoing in the Dominican Republic, due to a slow court process up until this point. That has meant that two of the main defendants in the case — William Lizandro Rosario Ortíz and Eladio Batista Valerio — have been detained in Najayo prison since June 2021.

This period of time, known as pretrial detention, has finally come to an end thanks to the case proceeding and a judge’s call. Judge Claribel Nivar determined that the two defendants can end their pretrial detention and move into house arrest, as they had completed the 18 months imprisonment that was determined by law.

Nivar is presiding over the case alongside judges Yissell Soto and Clara Sobeida Castillo. The three considered a request by the defendants, who asked if they could have freedom from the prison as their initial sentences had been completed. This was granted to fellow defendant and a focal person in the case, Luis Dicent, in the previous month.

Another judge, Amauri Martínez, was the one to confirm that the Operation 13 trial will continue in the Third Investigating Court of the National District of the Dominican Republic. Martínez recently accepted the Public Ministry’s delivery of evidence on behalf of the trial.

Ten defendants total are involved in the case. While Luis Dicent is considered the most responsible within the fraud operation, six of the ten have pleaded guilty. This is considered to be the consequence of compelling evidence in the hands of the court.

History of Operation 13

This case was triggered on May 1, 2021, when the accused group of defendants allegedly worked together in order to rig the results of a lottery draw. The group is accused of manipulating the results of the draw to claim the winnings illegally. It was called “Operation 13” due to the collection of a number 13 lottery ball during the fraudulent draw.

Luis Maisichell Dicent was the administrator for the Dominican Lottery at the time, while William Lizandro Rosario Ortiz was head of Fenabanca. The two were considered most responsible for the operation. They have been accused of working on a plan for it since July 2020, with the aim of stealing $8.5 million USD.

Thanks to the scandal, Dominican Lottery’s new overseer Teófilo Tabar terminated the relationship between the institution and Fenabanca. From 2022 onwards, no one invested in the national federation of lottery agencies is allowed to work within the Dominican Lottery, as this was seen as the cause of the collusion between those involved.

In July 2022, the court determined that damages should be valued at $10.8 million. This is what the defendants would be responsible for returning to the state if they are found guilty. It remains to be seen what the final ruling will be, but with recent updates, the court seems eager to progress the case further in early 2023.

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