Failed Dominican Republic bank funneled money abroad: Probe

Santo Domingo.- The Justice Ministry on Tuesday said it determined that Peravia bank’s executive siphoned money from their depositors to another bank account abroad.

Assistant prosecutor Isidro Vasquez said the investigation started after having received around 16 complaints from as many individuals against the bank.

The lead investigator said the plaintiffs accuse the executives, "who supposedly laundered money with customer deposits."

"Based on these allegations we’re preparing a dossier to bring those responsible to justice," the official aid, quoted by eldia.com.do.

Executives flee

Despite having receiving the initial complaints several weeks ago, there was no request for any injunction against the accused, a situation which the two Peravia bank senior executives took advantage of to flee the country.

An Immigration Agency source confirmed that bank president José Luís Santoro and vice president Gabriel Arturo Jimenez Aray left the country the same day of the Banks Superintendence’s intervention.

Santoro flew to Panama on November 19 and Jimenez traveled to the United States on the 20th.