Santo Domingo.- The Public Prosecutor’s Office continues to present evidence in the high-profile corruption case known as Operation Octopus, which involves a network that defrauded the Dominican State of over RD$5,000 million. During the latest hearing, key testimonies and documents were introduced to demonstrate fraudulent dealings and the misuse of public funds in the procurement of health supplies.
Leandro Villanueva, director of the General Directorate of Medicines, Food and Health Products (Digemaps), testified that medical supplies such as glucometers and lancets purchased by the Ministry of Public Health in 2013 lacked proper health registration and were not authorized for sale in the Dominican Republic. Despite this, the Ministry acquired these supplies from Domedical Supply, SRL for nearly RD$60 million, a company linked to Alexis Medina.
Further evidence included contracts, invoices, and distribution agreements showing that companies affiliated with Medina, such as General Medical Solution AM, SRL, falsely claimed to be exclusive distributors of certain medicines, including Erythropoietin. Testimony from José Miguel Zorilla, president of Nagada Investment Company, revealed that Medina’s company used false pretenses to sell medicines at inflated prices, profiting significantly from resale schemes that ultimately harmed the state.
Prosecutor Ernesto Guzmán of the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for the Prosecution of Administrative Corruption (Pepca) emphasized that the evidence confirms Alexis Medina’s companies were not eligible for public contracts, as they did not meet the legal requirements. He concluded that these fraudulent activities endangered public health and inflicted financial losses on the Dominican government. The court has adjourned the hearing until September 30 at 9:00 a.m.
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