Extraditions loom in US$300M Peravia bank fraud case

Santo Domingo.- Instruction Courts coordinator judge Jose A.Vargas on Tuesday authorized National District prosecutor Yeni Berenice Reynosoto seek the extradition of former executives of the collapsed Peravia bank, whoare on the run abroad.

The group is charged with money laundering in violation of Monetaryand Financial Law 183-02, in the case involving around US$300 million.

Among the fugitivesfigure José Santoro Castellano, Gabriel Jimenez Aray and Alejandro MoralesSantoro.

Also indicted were LuisManuel Melo Peña, Evelyn Serret, Miriam Serret, Valerio Luis Herrera, JoseCarlos Bergantiños, Laviosa Lopez, Lorenzo Alejandro Serret and Miriam Aponte.

The bank was a money-laundering front

Cesar A. Peralta, the lawyer of one of the plaintiffs againstseveral defendants, said the fugitives perpetrated a million-dollar fraudagainst several depositors.

He said the Peravia Bank was used as a front and after a 18month-long investigation, the National District Office of the Prosecutor gatheredthe necessary evidence to seek the indictment.