New York Judge Authorizes Fraud Case to Proceed Against Son of Dominican Senate Vice President

Court cites evasion and authorizes alternative service under CPLR 308(5) in cross-border fraud case involving attorney Salvador Catrain Calderon.

SANTO DOMINGO, DISTRITO NACIONAL, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, October 22, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A New York Supreme Court judge has issued an order authorizing alternative service against Salvador Catrain Calderón, a Dominican attorney and the son of the Vice President of the Dominican Republic Senate, in a U.S. fraud case alleging the use of forged documents and digitally manipulated affidavits in prior federal litigation.

The ruling, signed on October 20, 2025, by the Commercial Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York (Index No. 652981/2025), acknowledges evidence of evasion and grants the plaintiff permission to proceed using digital and mail delivery methods under CPLR 308(5) — a procedural statute invoked when defendants obstruct formal service.

The decision marks a significant procedural milestone in the ongoing fraud action, which centers on allegations that Catrain submitted a forged promissory note and Photoshopped witness affidavits in a previous U.S. federal lawsuit in Miami - U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Case No. 1:2024cv23918. That case was ultimately withdrawn with prejudice after forensic and migratory evidence contradicted key documents filed by Catrain’s firm.

“This order ensures the fraud case can finally move forward despite months of deliberate avoidance,” said a spokesperson for the plaintiff. “The New York court has sent a clear message: evasion does not defeat justice.”

In the Court’s words: “their multiple diligent efforts coupled with the defendant’s evasive conduct and the pending application establish both ‘good cause’ and ‘in the interest of justice’.”

https://archive.org/details/court-order-motion-001


The four-page order cites multiple New York precedents affirming that courts may authorize electronic service by email and messaging platforms when conventional methods are frustrated by intentional avoidance. Legal observers note the ruling underscores judicial intolerance for procedural abuse and reinforces the court’s role in ensuring cross-border accountability.

The complaint in Hawk v. Catrain Calderón seeks damages for fraud, abuse of process, and recovery of U.S. legal expenses arising from the prior Miami litigation.

The case has drawn heightened attention in both the United States and the Dominican Republic because of Catrain’s political connections — his father, Senator Pedro Catrain Bonilla, currently serves as Vice President of the Dominican Senate and previously chaired its Justice Commission. The intersection of politics and judicial scrutiny has positioned the case as a key example of transnational legal exposure and political accountability.

The plaintiff is now authorized to serve Catrain electronically at two known email addresses and by mail by international courier at his law firm, Catrain y Vega Abogados in Dominican Republic, as specified in the court’s order. The case remains active before the New York Supreme Court, Commercial Division.

According to court records, the plaintiffs are appearing pro se, representing themselves in the New York Supreme Court, Commercial Division. The order authorizes service upon Salvador Catrain Calderón at his law firm, Catrain & Vega Abogados, located in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. As of the date of the order, Mr. Catrain has not entered an appearance through counsel in this proceeding.
Case Reference

Hawk & Contreras Reyes v. Catrain Calderón, Index No. 652981/2025
Supreme Court of the State of New York – Commercial Division
Order signed October 20, 2025
CPLR 308(5) Alternative Service Authorized

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