A Parkville man pleaded guilty Tuesday to his role in an online gambling business that attracted almost $3.6 million in bets between 2006 and 2009.
James L. Dicapo, 57, said at the hearing that the customers for whom he was responsible bet about $1.2 million during that period.
A federal grand jury charged Dicapo and three others in March with operating the Internet gambling scheme.
The charges alleged that Dicapo and others gave bettors a toll-free telephone number and access to a website where they could place their bets on sporting events. That information was routed to a business in Costa Rica that handled the transactions.
Local bookmakers, such as Dicapo, then paid or collected cash from their bettors weekly, according to court records.
Last week, Dicapo pleaded guilty in an unrelated case, admitting that from 2007 to 2009 he sold counterfeit luxury goods.
Cody L. Gear a veteran law enforcement investigator and now a board certified fraud examiner, sheds light on the frauds being perpetrated in Costa Rica.
Cody L. Gear has been investigating fraud and scams in Costa Rica for the past 1o years and during that time he has acquired a plethora of information on the various schemes employed in Costa Rica to scam the uniformed. Scams range from real estate frauds to marriage scams.
Real estate scams are second only to the scams being committed by the women in the sex trade. The reason Gear talks about them first is the obvious potential for enormous financial loss to their victims. Laws in Costa Rica are very different than in the United States. Beware of pre-construction offers on developments that are not under construction. There are too many issues to discuss in this forum but your risk of losing money is significantly higher with such deals and your chances of recovery are virtually gone.
Scams by women working in the sex trade are another source of potential financial loss, Many of these women prey upon men visiting this country to send them money when the men have returned to the United States. Of course when the man is in the United states she is right back in the place where he met her (hotel) working another “gringo”. Recently Gear said he had a case that revealed that the woman had no less than 8 men sending her money on a monthly basis and she was still working the hotels. The common denominator between all the victims was the promise to marry and m ove to the United states. The only problem was that she was a Colombian and already married in Costa Rica.
So, what should you do if you think you are a victim or a potential victim of a scam. The firtst thing is to retain a competent, professional and reliable private investigator. Private investigators in Costa Rica are at times neither. Some of the investigators are scammers themselves according to Gear. Prior to retaining a Costa Rica private investigator, he should be vetted and his credentials verified prior to retention. Ask him such things as verifiable law enforcement experience, education, office location, business telephone number and if they have an accounting system to track time and expenses. Ask if they will be doing the work or if they are subbing it out to others not associated with the firm. Gear said he knows of agencies that have non existent offices and others that use convicted felons to carry out the assignments. Ask if the investigator can and will travel to your jurisdiction to testify. Many can’t as they are wanted in the United States.
Prior to dong anything in Costa Rica you would well advised to do some research first. No better place to start than a professional and qualified private investigator in Costa Rica. He can provide a wealth of information and help you avoid being scammed.
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Cody L Gear and Associates is a charter member of CID and have been providing investigative services in Costa Rica and South America since 1997. We have the experience and education to deliver verifiable, quality information to our clients.
Twenty D.C. middle school students took the trip of a lifetime this month to Costa Rica, thanks to an educational travel program offered by Global Explorers, a nonprofit group, and the Travel Channel.
The students from KIPP DC: AIM Academy, a public charter school for grades 5 to 8, spent the last semester of the school year studying Costa Rica. On the trip, the kids learned about the local culture, science and how to be a good global citizen. They met students in Costa Rica and learned about the Central American country’s rain forest, plants and animals. For all of them, it was the first trip out of the country; as part of the project, they’ll also do community service at home.
“I have learned that others live differently than we do in D.C.,” said Johnice Patterson, 13, about her trip. “We need to go places to see and experience how they live.”
Recently I wrote about consumer trends in Costa Rica and how they are tied in when looking at new business opportunities. Knowing your environment and clientele is obviously a critical step in identifying the right business. And while having a grasp of consumer trends is an excellent start, it is important that anyone starting a business in Costa Rica also has a basic understanding of the economy as well.
The economy in Costa Rica has always been one of the most stable and strongest economies in Central America. I could give you all sorts of statistics on things like the GDP and per capita income, but I think its more practical to look some basic info and facts
Medical Tourism
Medical Tourism is becoming a big business and is still in it’s infancy. Costa Rica is and continues to be one of the principal destinations for this new industry. Countless businesses related to this sector are growing and expanding, all of them obviously result in growth for the local economy.
Workforce
If a U.S. business is considering outsourcing their business, Costa Rica often makes the list and in many cases is the winner. A highly educated workforce that is very tech savvy and fluent in English gives Costa Rica a dominant advantage. HP, Intel, Amazon, Microsoft and other fortune 500 companies are already here and more continue to come.
Political Stability
Central America has had it’s up and downs, but Costa Rica has a distinct advantage of having a stable democracy for over half a century. No doubt this history of stability and diplomacy has helped attract new businesses and investments.
Agriculture
Coffee, bananas and pineapple. Costa Rica produces much more, but those are the big three, all crops that are consistently stable in both production and demand.
Tourism
Many of us sometimes forget that Costa Rica is still very much an untapped market. The record number of tourists to come to Costa Rica in one year is just slightly over 2 million. In comparison Mexico gets over 20 million tourists annually! A 50% increase in tourism for Costa Rica would still only equal 3 million tourists.
All of these sectors and facts equal economic grown and more importantly opportunities. On my next article we’ll take a look at American’s who have began a business in Costa Rica.
The Nicaraguan army said Monday afternoon that they would not be handing over to Costa Rica officials the fugitive couple that was the subject of a manhunt in Costa Rica and Panama, wanted for committing various murders in Bocas del Toro, Panama.
The couple are currently in the hands of Nicaraguan immigration officials who, according to the Nicaraguan army, has the responsibility to decide the future of the couple, who have been identified by Panamanian authorities as William Adolfo Cortez (alias Wild Bill) and his wife, Jeana Seana.
Nicaraguan officials say the couple identified themselves as William Sectar Fecbar and Laura Michel Ruiz, both Dutch nationals, and are being detained in the San Carlos de Nicaragua immigration post.
According to a Nicaraguan military spokesperson, the couple were handed over to immigration officials because they attempted to enter Nicaraguan territory illegally.
“The entered Nicaragua illegally and will have to be processed by immigration authorities according to law. We cannot hand them over to anyone else”, said coronel Juan Ramón Morales, head of the Dirección de Relaciones Públicas del ejército de Nicaragua.
Morales said the couple identified themselves as Dutch nationals, presenting passports issued by the Netherlands.
Panamanian police, however, say the couple are American citizens and using various documents from other countries.
Nicaraguan authorities have managed to arrest William Cortez and his wife Jean Seana, suspects in the death of Cheryl Lynn Hughes and two other bodies found in his house in the province of Bocas del Toro.
According to preliminary reports they may have killed over 20 people across Central America.
Government officials from both Costa Rica and Panama have confirmed the capture of the fugitives William “Wild Bill”Adolfo Cortez and his wife Jane Seana Cortez. The pair were caught as they made their way down a river in a hired boat along the border area between Costa Rica and Nicaragua. As they approached a checkpoint, “Wild Bill” threw their hired boat driver into the water and grabbed the tiller in an effort to escape. They ran smack into a heavily armed Nicaraguan army patrol and were arrested without a struggle. Right now Costa Rican officials are scrambling to get to this remote area to coordinate the transfer of the fugitives to Costa Rican soil, for their eventual return to Panama for prosecution.
If you have been following real estate around the world for any amount of time, you have probably realized what a real estate boom is going on in Costa Rica. The country is a small one, and many people are finding that Costa Rica is the paradise that they have been searching for. Perhaps you are interested in purchasing property in Costa Rica, and if you are, you may want to check out Costa Rica real estate listings to find a piece of property that you are interested in. However, you may be wondering where you can find a good Costa Rica real estate listing, so the following are a few places that you may want to check.
Check with an Agent
One popular place to look for a good Costa Rica real estate listing is with a real estate agent for Costa Rica. There are many good agents that deal with real estate in Costa Rica, and they can provide you with many real estate listings and help you find the property that you really want in the country. All you have to do is tell the agent what you are looking for, and they can probably come up with several Costa Rica real estate listings that you’ll want to have a closer look at.
Take a Look at Online Sites
Another place that you can find a great Costa Rica real estate listing is at online sites. There are a variety of sites that actually have listings for properties in Costa Rica. Often the have descriptions of the property, and many actually have some pictures that you can look at as well.
While it may take a bit more work on your part, you may enjoy the search for the perfect Costa Rica real estate listing. So, if you don’t really want to go to a real estate agent yet, then consider going to an online site for the Costa Rica real estate listing that you want.
Many people often ask me what kind of business opportunities are available in Costa Rica. If you have any sort of entrepreneurial spirit you will find countless opportunities in this country, but first it is important you fully understand the culture and economy a bit better. One of the ways I describe Costa Rica is that in many ways it follows U.S. trends, but is just 5-10 years behind. Perhaps one of the most notable trends to note are the consumer habits of Costa Ricans. Like Americans, Ticos SPEND money. They go out to eat, they go shopping, they save little and often spend their paychecks as soon as they get them. Much like the U.S., shopping is quickly becoming a national pastime in Costa Rica. Go to any mall in San Jose on the weekend and you can better understand and see exactly what I’m referring to. Observing this more is a great place to start to learn where you can start a business.
Another important pattern we have seen develop is the increase in travel. It might seem like it was quite a while ago, but when I was growing up our family took a vacation once a year. Dining at restaurants was really set for special occasions like birthdays or celebrations, and a trip to McDonalds was at best once a month. We all know those days are long gone. Now most Americans go out to eat multiple times a week, escape for weekend get aways once a month, and still manage to take an extended vacation every few months. In the past few years we have seen the exact same trend in Costa Rica. Although Costa Rica is famous for it’s beautiful beaches many Costa Rican’s in the Central Valley only visit them once a year. A lot of Costa Rican’s have not even fully explored their own country let alone travel outside Costa Rica. Much of that has been changing because of improved roads and access. In places like Jaco Beach, we are now starting to see people from San Jose come here 1-2 times a month and explore parts of the country more. Hotels, gas stations, restaurants all benefit from increased travel and again offer more opportunities to start new businesses.
Finding the right business opportunity takes time and effort and understanding consumer trends is a big step in beginning that process. In my next article I will explain more on where all this money is coming from and why Costa Rica continues to be one of the most stable economies in Central America.
A question often asked is, “Is Costa Rica safe?” The answer, to a great extent, is yes.
The crime rate in Costa Rica is the lowest in Latin America, and Costa Rica is, without a doubt, the safest country in Central America. Over one and a half million tourists, most of them Americans, visit Costa Rica every year, and they feel as safe as ever exploring the country. The Ticos on the whole are very friendly and warm people by nature, and they live a simple life devoid of all its excesses. There are no acts of terrorism in Costa Rica, and recreational drugs, other than tobacco and alcohol, are illegal. And Costa Rica has no standing army, and unlike all other countries in Latin America, the country has not experienced any political strife since 1949.
With the single exception of robbery, the crime rate in Costa Rica is very low compared to other countries. For the purpose of comparison, according to the United Nations’ Seventh Annual Survey on Crime, crimes recorded in police statistics show that the crime rate for all index crimes (murder, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft) in Costa Rica was 1208.2 per 100,000 inhabitants in 1999, comparing very well with 1529.75 for Japan (country with a low crime rate) and 4184.24 for the U.S. (country with a high crime rate).
The crime in Costa Rica is generally much lower and less violent than that in the States, and the crime here tends to be opportunistic as opposed to violent. In other words, rapes and murders in Costa Rica are very few, almost unheard of, compared to those in the States, but petty theft, car theft, and pick-pocketing are not uncommon here, especially in downtown San Jose and on the beach. In smaller towns, the crime rate is much lower.
It’s always best to exercise caution at all times, not only when visiting Costa Rica, but also when visiting any other foreign country. Traveling to any country is not without some risk. The good news is that you can very much enjoy a safe and wonderful stay in Costa Rica by following the simple common-sense safety tips outlined below, which also apply to any other foreign country you may want to visit.
* Be careful when stepping into the wild, going off a beaten path, or roaming national parks. Pay attention to warning signs, and always check with your guide if there’s any danger ahead.
* Be very wary of dangerous trails, volcanic areas, riptides, and waves.
* Do not swim into the ocean. There are few lifeguards, so always stay near other bathers.
* Do not walk alone in secluded areas or go into public parks late at night.
* Steer clear of deserted side streets, properties, or undeveloped land.
* Watch your luggage, never leave it unattended, and write your name on it.
* Do not hand your luggage to any stranger except the airport porters who carry an official identification.
* Lock your doors and your luggage when staying at a hotel.
* Do not carry a lot of money or flash big wads of money, and remember to keep your wallet in a safe place. It is also recommended to wear a money belt.
* Make sure that your personal belongings (keys, laptop, cell phone, credit card(s), etc.) are within reach, in a secure place, and never out in the open.
* As a foreigner, your passport is your ID. Keep your passport in a secure place, and always keep several photocopies of your passport as well as your Costa Rica airline ticket and insurance policy.
* Do not make yourself a target for thieves and pickpockets – do not wear flashy jewelry or expensive watches.
* Do not hold expensive equipment, such as cameras, all the time while walking.
* Guard yourself against car theft – always lock your car, and do not leave your keys or anything of value in your car even if you run into a store or supermarket for a few seconds to buy something.
* Do not park your car on the street – use secured private parking lots whenever possible.
* Use your common sense, do not trust anyone who approaches you and wants to act like your tour guide, and do not get separated from your tour group.
If you fall victim to any crime, please report the incident to the local police and contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance.
Be not afraid! Remember that traveling to any country in the world is not without some risk, and you should follow these safety precautions anywhere you go. With some common sense, no crime will ever happen to you and you will find Costa Rica a safe and wonderful country to visit or stay. Most of this advice is well taken in the States.
We have not suffered any crime that we are aware of in the last two years (knock on wood), but that can happen in just about any community in the world. Remember, the crime rate in the U.S. is about 4 times as high as it is here in Grecia. And in Dallas, TX, I had my Chevy Blazer stolen twice (only to steal the radio) and had the house burglarized once, so things like these can happen here, in the U.S., or anywhere else.
Costa Rica’s Catholic church is calling for respect from the Swedish “black metal” band MARDUK, who will be making an appearance in Costa Rica next week.
MARDUK has been strongly criticized by religious groups for its anti-Christian lyrics and even branding the band as “satanic.”
Mario Segura, Catholic priest and spokesperson for the Curia Metropolitana, said “they should have more respect because they are sacred things,” referring to the band’s use of religious articles, like an inverted cross in its album cover art.
Segura said he considers that this type of music and message cannot encourage any good in Costa Rica’s youth.
MARDUK will be in Costa Rica on July 29 at the Pepper Disco Club (formerly The City). The band last made an appearance in Costa Rica in 2003.
EM3 Producciones, promoter of the event, said the Thursday show is for those 18 years of age and over and that the band will not be performing any type of ritual on stage, just perform its music.
UPDATE: The suspects saw the news while they were in Costa Rica and tried to escape by boat to Nicaragua. The police caught them this morning.
Two multiple murder suspects on the run in Costa Rica. They are thought to be heavily armed with a pistol and an AK-47 assault rifle.
On the run are William Cortez and his wife Jane Cortez, accused of killing at least two people, and possibly as many as seven, while living in Bocas del Toro.
The real estate business is tough due to the global recession, and now one real estate speculator is on the run in Costa Rica for allegedly murdering expatriates in Panama with the motive to steal their property.
Agents got a tip Saturday that the pair, William Adolfo Cortez and Jean Seana Cortez, had rented living quarters near Turrialba.
The owners of the house who rented the fugitive couple the home say they fear for their lives after learning who their tenants are.
Costa Rican authorities have known of their whereabouts, however are stalled waiting for a judicial capture order to clear Interpol.
Prosecutor Naphtali Jaén said that two indigenous people working for Cortez are missing, as well as the family of a New Zelander, named Mike Brown, whom was the first person to have a business contact with Cortez after arriving in Panama in 2008.
Cortez allegedly told people that he had purchased property from Brown soon after his arrival, and the family had left the country. Cortez also claimed that he purchased property from American Cher Lynn Hughes, whose body was found on the land where Cortez was living. Another body believed to be that of Bo Icelar.
In each instance, Cortez claimed the victims had sold him their property and then left Panama. It now appears that Cortez never purchased the properties, instead killing the inhabitants and then taking over their land.
On her first visit to Nicoya of presidenta, Laura Chinchilla, was welcomed with open arms and affection by the people. The presidenta was in Nicoya to celebrate the 186th anniversary of the annexation of Guanacaste to Costa Rica.
During the visit, Chinchilla annonced the improvement of the road the joins playa Naranjo with Paquera, Hojancha- Lajas, Samara-Nosara and Veintisiete de Abril and Villareal.
The presidenta also said that a medical tower with 130 beds will be constructed at the Hospital de la Anexión and the Área de Salud de Santa Cruz will be remodeled.
Chinchilla was accompanied by her ministers and held the traditional cabinet meeting in Nicoya on July 25
Seems the Joaquin Phoenix documentary I had written about earlier was not a joke after all- in fact Casey Affleck the director is in fact being sued by one of the producers for sexual harassment! Amanda White -the producer in question- claims Affleck made several unwelcome sexual advances on her and when he learnt her age he apparently asked ”Isn’t it about time you get pregnant?”. The allegations get even more embarrassing as she claims that when filming the documentary in Costa Rica she couldn’t sleep in her room because Affleck and Joaquin Phoenix were in it with two women.
Affleck hasn’t taken the allegations lying down either. He has come out and tried to paint Amanda White as just another disgruntled ex-employee. His lawyer called the claims as “preposterous and without merit” and that White was kicked off the production over a year ago and is using this law suit to twist the producers’ arms into succumbing into allegedly ‘outrageous’ demands. It looks like ‘I’m Still Here: The Lost Year of Joaquin Phoenix’ is already a controversial production and it hasn’t even hit the theatres yet!
Venezuela’s defense minister on Friday warned Colombia against provoking a conflict after President Hugo Chávez severed ties with the nation and placed his military on alert.
Speaking on state television, Defense Minister Carlos Mata promised “a strong response” if foreign forces crossed into Venezuelan territory.
Mr. Chávez broke off all diplomatic relations with Colombia on Thursday, accusing it of fabricating evidence of Colombian rebel bases inside Venezuela.
At a meeting of the Organization of American States in Washington on Thursday, the Colombian ambassador, Luis Alfonso Hoyos, presented photographs, videos, witness testimony and maps of what he said were rebel camps in Venezuela, and he challenged Venezuela to let independent observers visit them.
Mr. Chávez suggested that Colombia’s president, Álvaro Uribe, who leaves office next month, could be trying to provoke a war, and that the photographs were fake. He insisted Venezuela did everything possible to prevent Colombian rebels from crossing into Venezuelan territory.
In Washington, the State Department spokesman, P. J. Crowley called the dispute unfortunate and said it was a “petulant response by Venezuela to cut off relations with Colombia.”
“Venezuela has clear responsibilities,” he said. “Colombia has put forward serious charges. They deserve to be investigated.”
The conservative, American-allied Mr. Uribe has frequently feuded with the Socialist Mr. Chávez. Colombian officials have long complained that Mr. Chávez has harbored leaders of its main rebel groups.
Mr. Chávez has argued that American officials are using Colombia to portray him as a supporter of terrorist groups to justify a United States military intervention in Venezuela.
For those who would like a destination for eco-tourism, Costa Rica is hard to beat. For a little country in Central America that’s only 19,730 square miles, there’s definitely a lot to see and do there. Costa Rica means ‘rich coast’ in Spanish, which is the country’s official language. Located between Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south, Costa Rica is one of the most stable and prosperous of all Latin American countries. There are tropical beach resorts on both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of the country for sun vacationers but the main attraction of Costa Rica is the eco-tourism. For example, there is a wider variety of bird species in Costa Rica alone than in all of Europe and North America.
Surprisingly, there are diverse eco-systems and microclimates within Costa Rica. In addition to the coastal beaches, there are dense jungles and rain forests with a wide variety of fauna. Some of these forests are referred to as cloud forests because of the moisture of the mists that linger among the trees in some parts. One forest has a cable car set up so that tourists can observe the plant and animal life at the treetop levels. For the more adventurous types, there is a place where one can swing from tree to tree using a network of rope attachments. There are also dry forests as well as colder barren volcanic tundras. Quite extreme changes in microclimate can be observed even within 30 minutes of travel. Some parts of the country have canal systems similar to those found in the Amazon and a few rivers offer excellent white water rafting.
There are several volcanoes within the country and the extinct ones are easily accessible since they are tourist attractions. A few have beautiful turquoise color lakes that have formed in the craters at the top of such volcanoes. One of the more famous active volcanoes is Arenal where visitors can safely watch the eruptions from a nearby facility that has outdoor hot springs naturally heated by the mountain.
In addition to the many different birds that can be sighted, there is a wide number of other exotic wildlife including monkeys, sloths, jaguars, bats and reptiles that can be seen during one of the many available nature tours. Every year, there are sea turtles that come to certain beaches to nest and this event attracts many nature lovers. The wildlife in Costa Rica is not only rich on land or the air but also in the surrounding oceans. For scuba divers, Costa Rica offers excellent diving opportunities and they are quite different from the waters in the Caribbean. The higher amounts of plankton in the local seas attract more numbers of large marine animals than can be found in the Caribbean.
Coffee and bananas are some of the main exports for Costa Rica. For coffee lovers, this is the place to sample some of the best in the world although it should be warned that the locals like their coffee quite strong. Tours in the valleys will often go past numerous coffee plantations.
Most tourists will fly into the capital city of San Jose. Although there is some nice colonial architecture to see in San Jose, it’s not one of the nicer places to stay in Costa Rica. The city is noisy and polluted but relatively safe. One can use San Jose as a base for many day trips to the various rain forests, volcanoes and beaches. Travelers can also fly into Liberia which is a town in the north part of the country. This is a much quieter region and close to many of the northern resorts. One option that many travelers take is to rent a vehicle and tour the country on their own. However, the roads of Costa Rica are not the best with lots of potholes and mudslides are common during the wet season from June to November. If renting a vehicle, a 4×4 is definitely recommended.
There is so much to see and do in Costa Rica that many visitors return to see parts of the country that they missed before. The country is easily the most popular destination to visit in Central America. Costa Rica now has tourist offices set up in North America for those who want further information.
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The Nicaraguan army said Monday afternoon that they would not be handing over to Costa Rica officials the fugitive couple that was the subject of a manhunt in Costa Rica and Panama, wanted for committing various murders in Bocas del Toro, Panama.
Many people often ask me what kind of business opportunities are available in Costa Rica. If you have any sort of entrepreneurial spirit you will find countless opportunities in this country, but first it is important you fully understand the culture and economy a bit better. One of the ways I describe Costa Rica is that in many ways it follows U.S. trends, but is just 5-10 years behind. Perhaps one of the most notable trends to note are the consumer habits of Costa Ricans. Like Americans, Ticos SPEND money. They go out to eat, they go shopping, they save little and often spend their paychecks as soon as they get them. Much like the U.S., shopping is quickly becoming a national pastime in Costa Rica. Go to any mall in San Jose on the weekend and you can better understand and see exactly what I’m referring to. Observing this more is a great place to start to learn where you can start a business.
The real estate business is tough due to the global recession, and now one real estate speculator is on the run in Costa Rica for allegedly murdering expatriates in Panama with the motive to steal their property.
Seems the Joaquin Phoenix documentary I had written about earlier was not a joke after all- in fact Casey Affleck the director is in fact being sued by one of the producers for sexual harassment! Amanda White -the producer in question- claims Affleck made several unwelcome sexual advances on her and when he learnt her age he apparently asked ”Isn’t it about time you get pregnant?”. The allegations get even more embarrassing as she claims that when filming the documentary in Costa Rica she couldn’t sleep in her room because Affleck and Joaquin Phoenix were in it with two women.
