SANTO DOMINGO — A high-profile Dominican energy industry leader has launched cross-border legal action against a man he accuses of orchestrating a reputation-smearing campaign that targeted his family, including underage children, after he rejected an unlawful demand for money.
Samuel Pereyra Rojas, who currently chairs the board of directors at Dominican Petroleum Refinery (Refidomsa), confirmed he has filed a formal lawsuit in the U.S. state of Florida against Carlos Rubio, the individual he blames for the campaign of harassment. Pereyra is no stranger to Dominican public life, having previously held the top executive role at Banco de Reservas de la República Dominicana, one of the country’s largest and most influential state-owned financial institutions.
In an official public statement released this week, Pereyra detailed that the dispute traces back to a request for what he calls “financial assistance” from Rubio — a demand he opted to refuse. In response to his rejection, Pereyra alleges Rubio launched a coordinated offensive across social media and other digital channels. The campaign was designed, he claims, to destroy his professional and personal reputation while inflicting pressure through targeted attacks on his close family members.
Pereyra emphasized that he remains a steadfast supporter of the principle of free speech and welcomes legitimate, constructive criticism of his work as a public and business leader. However, he drew a clear line, arguing that defamation, extortion, and the deliberate targeting of minor children cross both fundamental legal lines and basic ethical boundaries.
Beyond securing protection for his own family and clearing his name, Pereyra noted the lawsuit carries a broader purpose: to establish a legal precedent that counters the rising trend of extortion plots targeting senior public officials and prominent business leaders across the region. The legal filing in Florida marks an unusual cross-border step to address digital harassment that has impacted Pereyra and his family.