Is luxury Dominican resort the refuge for Spain’s Juan Carlos?

LA ROMANA: Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic is a luxurious beach playground for the rich and famous from the worlds of politics, finance and entertainment. Now it’s rumored to be where Spain’s former king Juan Carlos, accused of corruption in his homeland, is heading into exile.

An hour and a half by road from the capital

Santo Domingo, the exclusive resort in La Romana is made up of tourist accommodations, luxurious family homes, a harbor, port, golf courses and even an international airport. Spanish press outlets said on Tuesday that the 82-year-old former monarch, who announced the day before he was leaving the country, would be temporarily staying in the Dominican Republic with friends. But a spokeswoman for the Dominican immigration service, Mariela Caamano, said he had not “entered the country’s territory, contrary to certain statements indicating he has arrived early Tuesday.”

The Dominican foreign ministry told AFP it had “no information” about him eventually spending time there. Juan Carlos is under investigation in both Switzerland and Spain over illicit funds he

allegedly received from Saudi Arabia, the murky details of which have been regularly published in the Spanish press. The suspicions center on $100 million (85 million euros) allegedly paid secretly into a Swiss bank account in 2008.

He said he was leaving so as not to be a burden to his son, King Felipe VI. With accommodations costing a minimum $200 a night, and mansions with swimming pools setting tourists back $5,500 a night, Casa de Campo regularly plays host to the high and mighty. US President Donald Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani has been on vacation there. And Dominican media have also spoken of visits by music figures such as Beyonce, Jay-Z, Rihanna, DJ David Guetta, Justin Bieber, Drake or even celebrities like the Kardashian family. — AFP