SANTO DOMINGO.- Enmanuel Rivera Ledesma, whom the Public Prosecutor's Office identified as the main leader of a criminal organization that allegedly obtained more than 700 million pesos through the fraudulent sale of apartments in Greater Santo Domingo, had his pretrial detention upheld yesterday, Monday.
The businessman has been in prison since January of last year, when the authorities deployed an operation they called "Operation Nest," with more than 25 raids, with 170 police officers and 28 prosecutors proceeding to execute the search and arrest warrants against the targets of the investigation, while also seizing evidence linked to the case.
At the request of the Public Prosecutor's Office, a court in the National District determined that the alleged leader of the network that defrauded dozens of people with real estate projects and that was dismantled through Operation Nido, launched in January of last year, must remain in pretrial detention.
The Fourth Collegiate Court of the National District decided to maintain the deprivation of liberty measure, understanding that Rivera Ledesma's defense did not add any new grounds that would modify the existing one.
During the day, the Public Ministry was represented by prosecutors Magalys Sánchez and Yuderky Utate, who valued the decision of the court presided over by Judge Keyla Pérez, who set the full reading of the decision against the accused for September 18.
On the previous day, the continuation of the trial against Ledesma and associates was suspended until Tuesday, September 16.
Regarding the case
On January 3, 2024, the prosecuting body launched Operation Nido, with which it dismantled a network that defrauded hundreds of people by offering them homes in supposed real estate projects, through multiple fraudulent maneuvers.
In the deployment of Operation Nido, the Public Ministry and the National Police carried out twenty-five (25) raids in San Cristóbal, Dajabón, Espaillat, Sánchez Ramírez and the National District.
The investigation, carried out by the Public Prosecutor's Office, revealed that the criminal network used the corporate vehicles Indisarq, SRL, CRD Equipos Pesados, SRL, Grupo Wimar, SRL and Auto Xperts AFM SRL, through which they created a fraudulent scheme to carry out scams, forgery, criminal association and money laundering to the detriment of the victims to whom they offered homes through seven real estate projects.
During the investigation, evidence was seized demonstrating that the accused, Emmanuel Rivera Ledesma, used the names of well-known people to deceive victims into believing he was being protected by individuals he didn't actually know. Evidence was also gathered of the lavish lifestyles enjoyed by several members of the network, financed by the money obtained from the victims.
As a result of the investigation, Rivera Ledesma initiated a series of maneuvers with the aim of preventing the victims from filing complaints against him or withdrawing complaints already filed.
He also sought to have the victims sign new contracts and take other actions aimed at obstructing the investigation process, which shows that the defendant and other members of the network must comply with a coercive measure that prevents them from destroying evidence and being a clear threat to the people defrauded.
