Businessman freed

[NewsWhore]

Businessman Luis Lantigua Seladillas has been freed after being held captive for two weeks. Versions as to how and why Lantigua was freed differ, but Hoy reports that Lantigua's family paid a ransom of RD$3 million. Lantigua, who was being held in San Francisco de Macoris, was then dropped off at Piedra Blanca in Bonao province, where he called family members. Hoy reports that armed men stormed into his house two weeks ago. Officials have kept the investigation into the kidnapping open. Few leads are available, but police are looking for Jose Encarnacion Mateo and Ramon Antonio German. Lantigua's case is just of several high-profile kidnapping cases. Diario Libre is reporting that kidnapping has now become a lucrative business in the DR. Today the government reported the release unharmed of 13-year old Johanna Aracena, another kidnap victim, who was released without the payment of ransom in a rescue operation by the Police in which one of the suspected kidnappers was killed. There are also reports of a third person being kidnapped in San Jose de Ocoa. In 2008 there have been five reports of kidnappings of foreigners and businesspeople, including that of Yubelkis Benitez, whose case led to investigations into a US$100 million Medicare fraud case in the US.

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