Supreme Court rejects cassation of those convicted of fraud in the National Lottery draw

Santo Domingo.– The Second Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) rejected the cassation appeals filed by several of those convicted for their participation in the fraud of the National Lottery draw, investigated through the so-called Operation 13, by accepting the arguments presented by the Public Ministry. Among the recurring figures is William Lizandro Rosario Ortiz, who sought the annulment of the sentence of five years in prison imposed by the Criminal Chamber of the Court of Appeals of the National District. However, the high court upheld the sentence, considering that there was sufficient evidence to disprove his presumption of innocence.

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Rosario Ortiz was found guilty of violating articles 179, 180, 265 and 266 of the Dominican Penal Code, as well as articles 3 and 5 of Law 448-06 on Bribery in Commerce and Investment, which sanction the bribery of public officials. The SCJ also confirmed the guilt of Eladio Batista Valerio, for violation of articles 265 and 266 of the Penal Code, imposing a sentence of three years imprisonment, whose execution was conditionally suspended, under the rules established by the execution judge. The court warned that any non-compliance could lead to the revocation of the suspension. Likewise, the Supreme Court sentenced Rosario Ortiz and Batista Valerio to the payment of the criminal costs of the process. In the file, other individuals involved are also listed who admitted the facts, including Valentina Rosario, Jonathan Brea, Carlos Beriguete, and Felipe Santiago Toribio, who received sentences of five years in prison, with part of the time served in penitentiaries and another part suspended. Miguel Mejía and Rafael Mesa were also sentenced, with fully suspended sentences. The decision was issued through the ruling SCJ-SS-25-1227, of October 31, 2025, and notified to the Public Ministry. The ruling was issued by the judges Francisco Antonio Jerez Mena, Nancy Salcedo Fernández, María G. Garabito Ramírez and Francisco Antonio Ortega Polanco. During the hearing of the case before the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ), the Public Ministry was represented by the deputy prosecutor Wilson Camacho, along with prosecutors from different instances. It should be remembered that, in the first instance, Rosario Ortiz had been sentenced to seven years in prison, a sentence that was later reduced in the appeal phase.