SANTO DOMINGO.- The Central Electoral Board (JCE) prohibited law firms and tour operators of Altagracia province (east) from organizing "simulated weddings" of foreigners who stay in Bavaro and Punta Cana hotels, to prevent the confusion they’ve brought about among some couples that contracted that type of nuptials and who later demanded certifications from the entity.

On February JCE Administrative Chamber president Roberto Rosario attributed the situation to a ring which has operated in complicity with Punta Cana hotel facilities in the massive weddings of foreigners, conducted without the court’s approval and offered within tour packages.

JCE official’s inteviewed by newspaper Diario Libre said the zone’s hoteliers agreed discontinue the “simulated weddings” of foreigners and which took place only with officials of Higüey, or the new registrar inaugurated a few months ago in the village of Verón.

"Law firms in Higüey conducted supposed weddings of foreigners which were not under the auspices of the Board, that prohibited that type of ceremony and the hoteliers agreed," said a JCE official and revealed that many foreign married couples, especially European, in the tourist packages of Punta Cana hotels prepared their simulated second wedding.

"The investigations established that in some cases marriages took place between people who were not married, that were included in the celebration of massive weddings with civil official impostors and believed that they were doing it legally. Those were the people who demanded his certificates," the official said.

Between December and January the National Investigations Department (DNI) probed the entire zone of Higüey and reported its findings to the JCE, where it identified three alleged ringleaders of the ring that posed as civil officials and who issued false documents.

Scammers still active

The Higüey Civil Registrar’s Office has become a territory of the scammers who’ve "assaulted" the citizens who go to that agency.

Diario Libre said it uncovered that in the locality the scammers who teem in the neighborhood, even have their union and set their fees for the various types of "services.”

"We feel harassed by the scammers. They trap the unwary outside," said the Civil Registrar official Daniel Castillo.