Medicare hunts turns interesting

[NewsWhore]

On 19 June news outlets reported that US federal agents were in the DR investigating a money-laundering scheme involving Medicare funds. Sources revealed that the perpetrators of the scam had defrauded the Medicare system out of millions of dollars and laundered the money through the DR. Three FBI agents as well as other enforcement officials were in the DR investigating, but little information was released at the time. The case took an interesting turn on 11 July when El Dia reported the kidnapping of Cuban national Yubelkis Benitez Ramirez and her Dominican boyfriend Lenin Linares Guerrero. The Police investigated the case and found out that Benitez was the daughter of whom was being investigated for the Medicare scam. She was kidnapped at her father's Vista Bavaro cabanas in Bavaro, by those who would ask for a ransome after learning her father was linked to the Medicare scam. El Dia explains that kidnappers, Fausto Munoz, Elias Sanchez, Noemi Sanchez, Cristian Marte Marte, Edwin Portorreal Marte and former police officer Anderson Mateo, were looking to extort the elder Benitez for US$5 million in return for Yubelkis' release. The Police was able to rescue her at the home where she was kept in Santo Domingo Este. Police believe that he had bought the properties with the Medicare money. The FBI sent Denis Pierce to continue the investigation. In a further twist to the drama, Hoy reports that police officers and the legal authorities have seized three motels, apartment buildings, houses, seven luxury vehicles, a water park in Bavaro, boats and a helicopter in Higuey. The property and material goods belong to Oscar, Jose and Luis Benitez. US DEA and FBI agents cooperated in the seizures.

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