The Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for the Prosecution of Administrative Corruption (PEPCA) has exposed a major corruption scandal involving a RD$1.3 billion contract for the modernization of Santo Domingo’s traffic light system. The contract, awarded by the National Institute of Transit and Land Transportation (INTRANT), is at the heart of the Operation Chameleon investigation. Prosecutors allege that the tender process, labeled INTRANT-CCC-LPN-2022-0003, was rigged from the outset to favor Transcore Latam SRL, a company reportedly controlled by José Ángel Gómez Canaán (Jochi Gómez) through a series of shell companies.
According to the indictment, the tender was specifically designed to benefit Transcore Latam, featuring inflated costs that were 1,053% higher than the project’s actual value and technical requirements that effectively barred competitors. Despite being established in 2021 with a mere RD$100,000 in capital and no prior experience in traffic systems, Transcore Latam secured INTRANT’s largest technology contract within a year. Prosecutors claim that documentation presented to the evaluation committee falsely indicated an affiliation with U.S.-based Transcore Holdings, Inc., a connection that does not exist.
PEPCA further alleges that INTRANT officials, including members of its Procurement and Contracting Committee, collaborated in the scheme under the direction of then-director Hugo Beras. Other bidders were reportedly disqualified for minor issues, ensuring Transcore Latam’s selection. Despite the substantial budget, the modernization project remains unfinished, with much of the equipment unused. Payments totaling RD$489 million by December 2024 were allegedly funneled to companies OML Inversiones SRL and Aurix SAS, both linked to Gómez Canaán.
Prosecutors have also connected the case to a cyberattack on Santo Domingo’s traffic light network in August 2024, which was traced to a server associated with Transcore Latam. The attack is believed to have been an attempt to erase digital evidence of the contract and financial transfers. While no charges have been filed for the sabotage, PEPCA considers it a crucial element of the ongoing investigation into the financial and technological scheme.