Topic > Corruption: President of the Dominican Republic

At the end of his first term the Fund for Temporary and Minimum Employment (PEME) was robbed of $100 million by four men who were under investigation. As soon as Leonel returned to office, his first act as president was to rebuild his lawyer which consisted of hiring the four men who were under investigation and putting them back into his lawyer. By hiring these men he clearly makes himself look corrupt, or admits it. These men Luis Inchausti – supposedly the main culprit in the infamous embezzlement scandal – fill the role of Secretary of State, a job for which he has no experience and for which he is woefully underqualified. Previously, Inchausti was head of PEME. As for the others accused of embezzlement, Simón Lizardo, the former administrative secretary, was appointed auditor; Naivanjoe Ng Cortina, a former auditor, will now regulate the stock exchange; and Diandino Peña, the former secretary of Public Works, was chosen to lead a new subway construction project.