Two decorated US Army veterans have initiated legal proceedings in Dominican courts against local entrepreneur Gerineldo de los Santos Martínez, alleging fraudulent activities and breach of trust involving over $1 million in investments for a proposed medical and eco-wellness tourism complex in Jarabacoa.
Alfredo Antonio Cordero Camacho and Terry Wayne Wheat Jr., co-founders of Veterans Community Care Abroad (VCCA), assert that their business partner failed to honor contractual commitments essential for their project’s expansion. VCCA, which has successfully operated healthcare clinics in Bávaro and Punta Cana since 2022, provides comprehensive medical services to US veterans residing in or visiting the Dominican Republic.
Court documents reveal the plaintiffs suffered substantial financial losses due to multiple contractual violations, including incomplete construction work, suspected structural defects, unfulfilled investment obligations, and the critical failure to transfer approximately 50,000 square meters of land valued at RD$170 million (roughly $2.8 million). This land was intended as Martínez’s contribution to their joint venture developing the specialized medical complex.
The ambitious project envisioned combining advanced healthcare facilities with eco-friendly accommodations and wellness retreats, leveraging Jarabacoa’s mountainous terrain and temperate climate to create an optimal environment for physical rehabilitation and psychological recovery programs.
Despite making scheduled payments in both Dominican pesos and US dollars, and initiating preliminary development work, the veterans claim their partner never completed the agreed-upon land transfers or construction, effectively halting the project’s progression. The plaintiffs emphasized their legal action seeks accountability and investment protection rather than casting aspersions on the Dominican Republic’s overall investment climate. The case remains active in Dominican judicial proceedings.