VZCZCXRO6644
RR RUEHAO RUEHCD RUEHGD RUEHGR RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHRD
RUEHRS RUEHTM
DE RUEHDG #1620/01 3621926
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 281923Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0436
INFO WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 SANTO DOMINGO 001620 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
DEPT FOR CA/FPP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CVIS KFRD ASEC SMIG DR
SUBJECT: Crackdown on Mala Fide Visa Applicants and Document Brokers 
Results in a String of Arrests 
 
REF: A) SANTO DOMINGO 001235; B) SANTO DOMINGO 000527 
C) SANTO DOMINGO 001606 
 
1)  (U)  Summary:  Santo Domingo's Consular Section recently 
implemented an active strategy to inhibit visa fixers and document 
brokers.  Working in conjunction with local authorities, post's 
Fraud Prevention Unit (FPU), the Assistant RSO Investigator 
(ARSO-I) and a local National Police (PN) officer assigned to the 
consular section have effected the arrest and successful 
prosecution of nearly three dozen Dominicans involved in the 
production and/or use of fraudulent documents.  Thorough 
investigations and increased cooperation with the host country 
government agencies involved in these operations have resulted in 
an effective deterrent to criminal activity in consular related 
fraud.  This cable outlines the strategy used by post and provides 
several examples of its successful implementation.  END SUMMARY. 
 
 
 
 
 
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BACKGROUND 
 
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2)  (SBU)  As we discussed in our previous bi-annual consular fraud 
summaries (ref A and B), the ready availability of fraudulent 
documents and the energetic efforts of visa-fixers complicate visa 
adjudication in Santo Domingo.  In the past, even when we 
discovered fraud in a visa or passport application, we held little 
hope of successfully prosecuting mala fide applicants much less the 
originators of the fraud.  In this environment of high demand and 
little deterrent, illegal document brokers and visa fixers (known 
locally as "buscones") have flourished, comfortable with their 
predictable impunity from police action - until now. 
 
 
 
 
 
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COOPERATION THE KEY TO SUCCESS 
 
------------------------------ 
 
 
 
3)  (U)  Our consular section has united a fraud prevention team 
consisting of the FPU Manager and LES Investigators, the A/RSO-I, 
and a vetted PN officer assigned to the consular section through 
the RSO office.  The dedicated PN officer, a somewhat unique 
colleague, has been a tremendous asset, supporting the A/RSO-I and 
FPU in a variety of ways.  FPU Investigators often benefit from the 
presence of a local law enforcement officer during questioning.  In 
cases where a subject is found to have violated local laws (for 
example possessing multiple identity documents) the PN officer 
gathers necessary evidence and arranges an immediate arrest.  He 
may also transport persons found using fraudulent documents 
directly to the nearby PN Anti-Fraud Department to make formal 
complaints against those who provided them with document packages. 
In several cases his involvement has enabled the arrest of document 
vendors and/or visa-fixers in meetings set up outside of the 
consular section. 
 
 
 
4)  (U)  Over the past few months the ARSO-I and dedicated PN 
officer fostered a positive working relationship with the PN 
Anti-Fraud Department that has allowed investigations begun in the 
consular section to be seamlessly transferred to local police for 
arrests.  The pair have developed a similar relationship with a 
local public prosecutor who is eager to accept our carefully 
documented, well prepared, "easy win" cases.  Several of these 
arrests have received press coverage and post's fraud prevention 
strategy includes public outreach efforts which will be reported 
septel. 
 
SANTO DOMI 00001620  002 OF 003 
 
 
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THE RESULTS 
 
----------- 
 
 
 
5)  (SBU)  Since November, post's FPU, the A/RSO-I and our 
dedicated PN officer have coordinated the arrests of 35 individuals 
involved in fraudulent activities related to U.S. visas and/or 
passports.  These include the arrests of 11 mala fide visa 
applicants, 20 document vendors and/or visa-fixers, 2 persons with 
counterfeit visas, and 2 persons with fraudulent (photo-sub) U.S. 
passports.  Although some of these criminals are released in 24 
hours pending further investigation, the arrests send a strong 
message to the public that fraud is not taken lightly and may lead 
to serious consequences. 
 
 
 
6)  (SBU)  Details concerning some of these arrests follow: 
 
 
 
a.  On November 3, 2009, a member of the Dominican Chess Federation 
was arrested after providing a group of NIV applicants with 
fraudulent letters stating that they were members of the Federation 
and were going to attend a tournament in Miami.  Applicants had 
agreed to pay amounts up to $9,000 USD if/when they were issued 
visas.  The document broker was sentenced to three months 
preventative custody while the case is developed. 
 
 
 
b.  On November 25, FPU pre-screening of applicants in the NIV 
waiting area revealed two applicants with suspect documents. During 
interviews with FPU investigators and the dedicated PN officer, the 
applicants confessed that their job letters, bank statements and 
birth certificates were all fraudulent.  Both applicants paid the 
same anonymous vendor $695 USD for the documents and each were to 
pay an additional $6,000 USD after receiving the visas.  A 
middle-man working for the vendor was identified by the two 
applicants and arrested while waiting outside the consular section. 
The case is still under investigation by the PN Anti-Fraud 
Department and the local district attorney's office with the 
middle-man sentenced to preventive custody. 
 
 
 
c.  On November 25, the HR Manager of a large computer systems 
company was arrested and charged for providing fraudulent 
employment letters to multiple visa applicants.  FPU Investigators 
contacted the company President after noting inconsistencies in 
cases that the HR Manager had confirmed. 
 
FPU persuaded the company President to press charges and the ARSO-I 
facilitated her complaint with a local public prosecutor's office. 
The HR manager was arrested and is on parole as the case is 
prepared for trial. 
 
 
 
d.  On November 30, an employee of an auto parts company provided 
fraudulent job letters to two relatives applying for NIVs.  These 
documents were caught during FPU pre-screening and the applicants 
admitted the fraud when questioned by investigators.  FPU and 
ARSO-I worked with the owner of the company to press charges 
against the employee and an arrest warrant was issued.  On December 
7 the document-broker appeared at the consulate in response to a 
ruse and was arrested. 
 
 
 
e.  On December 2, three NIV applicants were arrested for 
presenting fraudulent job letters, bank statements and other 
documents.  All the applicants obtained these documents from a 
broker known only as "El Rubio" and paid 35,000 RD (approximately 
970 USD) each for the packet.  FPU and ARSO-I investigation of 
phone records enabled identification of "El Rubio" which the 
applicants confirmed by photo.  The ARSO-I then facilitated 
applicants filing of a complaint, bringing charges against the 
broker.  An arrest warrant has been issued for this previously 
known, but unidentified document broker.  At the same time, his 
current visa was revoked before he could leave the country. 
 
SANTO DOMI 00001620  003 OF 003 
 
 
f.  On November 16 and 24, the Anti-Fraud Department of the 
National Police (PN) carried out an operation against document 
vendors and visa-fixers, known locally as "buscones" working in the 
vicinity of the Consular Section.  The PN arrested a total of 13 
persons and impounded one mobile bus set up with computers, 
internet access, photo services, etc. used to facilitate their 
activities.  Ref C details these operations as well as other post 
efforts against "buscones." 
 
 
 
g.  All of the fraudulent U.S. visas and passports caught in the 
last two months were initially reported to the FPU by GODR 
Immigration.  After authorities intercepted the bearers attempting 
to enter/exit the country they alerted the FPU so that the cases 
could be investigated quickly allowing for formal arrest and 
processing. 
 
 
 
 
 
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GOOD TEAMWORK LEADS TO SUCCESS 
 
------------------------------ 
 
 
 
7)  (U)  We are fortunate to have an outstanding LES and FSO 
consular team supporting our fraud prevention efforts.  FPU 
personnel and ARSO-I along with the dedicated PN officer cooperate 
fully, working together to uncover cases of fraud, investigate 
document rings and sources of fraud, and pursue arrests and 
prosecution to the fullest extent possible.  The FPU/ARSO-I 
office's increased cooperation with the National Police, GODR 
Immigration and local public prosecutors has allowed for the arrest 
and prosecution of persons involved in consular-related fraud. 
Without the relationships established with host government 
officials, it would be impossible to see such progress.  Post will 
continue to develop strategies to combat fraud and coordinate with 
local authorities to pursue visa-fixers and document brokers in the 
Dominican Republic. 
 
 
 
LAMBERT 
Lambert