High Court rules against returning Cincinnati Reds pitcher’s seized assets

Santo Domingo.- The Constitutional Court on Monday declined to hear an appeal filed by former Cincinnati Reds star pitcher José Rijo who sought to reclaim the properties seized by the authorities on money laundering charges.

The high Court ruled that there are other legal ways through which the former Major Leaguer can file his claim.

The court ruled that the Justice Ministry’s Anti-money Laundering Unit seized several of Rijo’s real estate properties, despite that his request for an injunction was denied by the Samana District Criminal Court.

"By disagreeing with such a decision, José Antonio Rijo Abreu filed the current appeal for constitutional review relating to an injunction with the aim to prevent the aforementioned ruling, and an order for the immediate return of all his assets and the payment of a penalty of RD$50,000 against Germán Daniel Miranda Villalona, "in charge of the Anti Money-laundering Unit," the court document says.