Santo Domingo.– This Saturday afternoon, the Prosecution Directorate of the Public Ministry interrogated the former director of the National Health Insurance (Senasa), Santiago Hazimand the businessman Eduardo Read Estrellain relation to the alleged fraud that exceeds 12 billion pesos.
Hazim He arrived after 5:00 in the afternoon accompanied by his lawyer, Miguel Valerio. The former official had been wanted since Thursday, the day he also went to the Attorney General’s Office.
Unofficially, it was learned that the businessman Read Estrella also appeared this Saturday, in a meeting in which the prosecutor participated. Yuderka Holguín.
Interrogations under strict confidentiality
The interrogations carried out by the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) They have been handled with strict confidentiality, unlike other cases in which public information is offered.
Read Estrella is the owner of Khersun SRL, a Read Group companycontracted by Senasa since 2020 to offer primary care services under the subsidized regime.
According to the investigations, Khersun received fixed monthly payments, payment “per capita,” regardless of whether members used the services or not.
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Another company in the group, Farmacard SRL would also have supplied medicines to Senasa affiliates as part of the current contracts.
A scheme that operated for more than four years
Investigations indicate the existence of a “sophisticated” corruption scheme within Senasa which operated for more than four years and directly affected funds destined for the medical care of thousands of members.
The network included a parallel call center managed by former employees and family members who authorized procedures and purchases of medications without the consent of the insured.
Among those mentioned are Angel Luis Guzman and his brother Angeuriwho allegedly headed the network that would also involve doctors, employees and relatives.
Irregular authorizations and immediate payments
An investigation carried out by the journalist Julissa Cespedes in the Special Report program revealed that the procedures were authorized through telephone calls or WhatsApp messages, and that payments to providers were made almost immediately, avoiding detection by internal controls.
Patients reported not having received the services registered in their name, evidencing a pattern of systematic fraud.
Pending audit and possible higher figures
Months ago, Senasa called an external audit to determine the scope of the scheme, the results of which have not yet been released.
Authorities warn that the fraud could exceed the figures revealed so far.
Hazim defends his management
Hazim publicly defended his management at the head of the institution, ensuring that he acted with honesty and responsibility in the exercise of public office.
He recalled that it was precisely his administration that presented the complaint to the Public Ministry that uncovered a million-dollar fraud scheme in the medical authorization system.
In November 2024, through the Senasa Legal Consultancy, a formal complaint was filed accompanied by documents that showed manipulations in the billing system for medical procedures.
“I am sure that the truth will prevail, because my management was based on the conviction of serving the country responsibly,” he expressed.
Change of philosophy in the system
While Read Estrella, promoter and defender of the primary care system, stating that a change in philosophy is required, “diametrically opposed to what has been done until now.”
Read Estrella stated that the implementation of this model is a matter for businessmen, politicians, churches, families, clinics and doctors, among other actors.
a note
Attentive media
Several media outlets remained attentive this Saturday in front of the Attorney General’s Office of the Republic due to the version that at any time Santiago Hazim He could be transferred, as a detainee, to the prison of the Ciudad Nueva Court Palace, in the capital, to be presented before a Permanent Attention judge of the National District, where preventive detention would be requested along with others involved in the case.
