Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM OMB NO. 1124-0002; Expires February 28,2014 U.S. Department of Justice Supplemental Statement Pursuant to the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended Washington, dc 20530 For Six Month Period Ending 3/30/201,8 (Insert dole) I - REGISTRANT 1. (a) Name of Registrant (b) Registration No. Benjamin Finbar lagerstrom 6453 (c) Business Address(es) of Registrant 529 West 29th Street PHD New York, NY 10001 2. Has there been a change in the information previously furnished in connection with the following? (a) If an individual: (1) Residence address(es) Yes □ No0 Yes □ No0 (2) Citizenship Yes □ NoH (3) Occupation (b) I fan organization: (1) Name (2) Ownership or control (3) Branch offices Yes □ Yes □ Yes □ No □ No □ No □ (c) Explain fully all changes, if any, indicated in Items (a) and (b) above. IF THE REGISTRANT IS AN INDIVIDUAL, OMIT RESPONSE TO ITEMS 3, 4, AND 5(a). 3. If you have previously filed Exhibit C*1, state whether any changes therein have occurred during this 6 month reporting period. Yes □ No □ If yes, have you filed ah amendment to the Exhibit C? Yes □ No Q If no, please attach the required amendment. 1 The Exhibit C, for which no printed form is provided, consists of a true copy of the charter, articles of incorporation,* association; and bylaws of a registrant that ts an organization. (A waiver of the requirement to file an Exhibit C may be obtained for good cause upon written application to the Assistant Attorney General, National Security Division, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC 20530.) Formerly CRM-154 FORM NSD-2 Revised 03/11 Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM (PAGE 2) 4. (a) Have any persons ceased acting'as'partriere,officers^'directors orsimilar officials of the registrant during this 6 month reporting period? Yes D No O If yes, furnish the following information: Name Position Date Connection Ended (b) Have any persons become partners, officers, directors or similar officials during this 6 month reporting period? Yes □ No □ If yes, furnish the following information: Name Residence Address Citizenship Position Date Assumed 5. (a) Has any person niried in Item 4(b) rendered services directly in furtherance of the interests of any foreign principal? Yes "□ No □ If yes, identify each such person and describe the service rendered. (b) During this six month reporting period, has the registrant hired as employees or in any other capacity, any persons who rendered or will render services to the registrant directly in furtherance of the interests of any foreign principal(s) in other than a clerical or. secretarial, or in a related or similar capacity? Yes □ No 0 Name Residence Address Citizenship Position Date Assumed (c) Have any employees or individuals, who have filed a short form registration statement, terminated their employment or connection with the registrant during this 6 month reporting period? Yes D No 13 If yes, furnish the following information: Name Position or Connection Date Terminated (d) Have any employees or individuals, who have filed a short form registration statement, terminated their connection with any foreign principal during this 6 month reporting period? Yes EH No 0 If yes, furnish the following information: Name Position or Connection Foreign Principal DateTerminated 6. Have short foim registration statements been filed by all of the persons named in Items 5(a) and 5(b) of the supplemental statement? Yes □ No S If no, list names of persons who have not filed the required statement, n/a Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM (PAGE 3) II - FOREIGN PRINCIPAL ■ 7. Has your connection with any foreign principal ended during this 6 month reporting period? ‘ Yes □ If yes, furnish the following information: Foreign Principal 8. Have you acquired any new foreign principal(s)2 during this 6 month reporting period? If yes, furnish the following infonbation; Name and Address of Foreign Principal(s) No 0 Date'of Termination Yes □ No 0 Date Acquired 9. In addition to those named in Items 7 and 8, if any, list foreign principal(s)2 whom you continued to represent during the 6 month reporting period. The Dominican Government Minister of The Exterior Dominican Federation of Mayors and Municipal Leaders (FEDOMU) FERTAFUR, Raphael Sanchez 10. (a) Have you filed exhibits for the newly acquired foreign principal(s), if any, listed in Item 8? Exhibit A3 Yes □ No 0 Exhibit B4 . Yes □ No 0 If. no, please attach the required exhibit. (b) Have there been any changes in the Exhibits A and B previously filed for any foreign principal whom you represented during this six month period? Yes □ No 0 If yes, have you filed an amendment to these exhibits? Yes □ No □ If no, please attach the required amendment . 2 The term'"foreign principal" includes, in addition to those .defined in section 1(b) of the Act, an individual organization any of whose activities are directly or indirectly supervised, directed, controlled, financed, or subsidized in whole or in major pan by a foreign government, foreign political party, foreign organization or foreign individual. (See Rule 100(a)(9)). A registrant who represents more than one foreign principal is required to list in the statements he files under'the Act only those principals for whom he is not entitled to claim exemption under Section 3 of the Act. (See Rule 208.) 3 The Exhibit A, which is filed on Form NSD-3 (Formerly CRM-1ST) sec forth the information required to be disclosed concerning each foreign principal. 4 The Exhibit B, which is filed on Form NSD-4 (formerly CRM-155) sets fourth the information concerning the agreement or understanding between the registrant and the foreign principal. Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM (PAGE 4) III - ACTIVITIES 11. During this 6 month reporting period, have you engaged in any activities for or rendered any services to any foreign principal named in Items 7, 8, or 9 of this statement? Yes 0 No □ If yes, identify each foreign principal and describe in full detail your activities and services: Dominican Government Minister of.the Exterior, Dominican Federation of Mayors and Municipal Leaders (FEDOMU), FETRAFUR (Foundation for Work and Education Development), Raphael Sanchez. As per the Unity Agreement of February 2017, to the desires of the Principles and all represented thereunder to enhance relations between The United States of America, The Dominican Government, and The Dominican People, fostering an environment that United States Principals will feel comfortable conducting business in and contributing to such via news/ entertainment presentations describing such work; the key being to prevent the spread of Communism and radical Islamic practices in The Dominican Republic and the prevention of Cuban, Venezuelan and Haitian influence to the country as per Inti sanctions, creating stellar business environment for Fortune 500 companies to operate in. 12. During this 6 month reporting period, have you on behalf of any foreign principal engaged in political activity5*as defined below? Yes 0 'No □ If yes, identify each such foreign principal and describe in full detail all such political activity, indicating, among other things, the relations, interests and policies sought to be influenced and the means employed to achieve this purpose. If the registrant arranged, sponsored or delivered speeches, lectures or radio and TV broadcasts, give details as to dates, places of delivery, names of speakers and subject matter. Dominican Government Minister of the Interior, Dominican Federation of Mayors and Municipal Leaders (FEDOMU), FETRAFUR (Foundation for Work and Education Development), Raphael Sanchez.: 12/29/2017,12/30/2017 - Appearance in documentary film "Mi Embajador" with beneficiaries of Dominican work and education fund FETRAFUR (principal) in advancement of the goals of the fund. vyww.MiEmbajadpr.com 1/3/2018- Present continuation of interviews and analysis with participants in the film to assist in proposal for economic recovery utilizing rights assignment of Dominican assets. 9/11/2017- Registratidn/formatipn of FETRAFUR minutes as Dominican Charitable Foundation, Madeline Cabrera as Treasurer. 2/7/2018 - Notification to Principals of duties under agreements. Entire Reporting Period: Many multiple presentations of Registrant Social Media Pages (largest audience in Dominican Republic) to reject Communism and Terror, enhance Democratic representation of Dominican People and create a business environment amicable to private investment, utilizing the public figure status of the Registrant. (PLEASE SEE ATTACHED EXHIBITS IN CONSIDERATION OF FORM LIMITATIONS.) 13. In addition to the above described activities, if any, have you engaged in activity on your own behalf which benefits your foreign principal(s)? Yes S No □ If yes, describe fully. . Purchase of plane ticket for Madeline Cabrera (principal) and family member Dominic Cabrera-Aquino, lodging and expenses for trip to New York, NY and Washington, DC September 2017, brought them to Dominican Ambassador's Residence, Trump Tower New York, United States Supreme Court and Capitol Building. Participation in The 2017 New York Dominican Day Parade and pre-parade gala. S The term "political activity1' means any activity that the person engaging in believes will, or that the person intends to, in any way influence any agency or official of the Government of the United States or any section of the public within the United States with reference to formulating, adopting or changing the domestic or foreign policies of the United States or with reference to political or public interests, policies, or relations of a government of a foreign country or a foreign political party. Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM (PAGE S') IV - FINANCIAL INFORMATION 14. (a) RECEIPTS-MONIES During this 6 month reporting period, have you received from any foreign principal named in Items 7,8, or 9 of this statement, or from any other source, for or in the interests of any such foreign principal, any contributions, income or money either as compensation or otherwise? Yes □ No S If no, explain why. If yes, set forth below in the required detail and separately for each foreign principal an account of such monies.6 Date From Whom Purpose Amount Total (b) RECEIPTS - FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN During this 6 month reporting period, have you received, as part of a fundraising campaign78,any money on behalf of any foreign principal named in Items 7, 8, or 9 of this statement? Yes □ No E If yes, have you filed an Exhibit D to your registration? If yes, indicate the date the Exhibit D was filed. (c) Yes □ No E Date RECEIPTS-THINGS OF VALUE During this 6 month reporting period, have you received any thing of value9 other than money from any foreign principal named in Items 7, 8, or 9 of this statement, or from any other source, for or in the interests of any such foreign principal? Yes □ No 0 If yes, furnish the following information: Foreign Principal Date Received Thing of Value Purpose 6, 7 A registrant is required to file an Exhibit D if he collects or receives contributions, loans, moneys, or other things of value for a foreign principal, as part of a fundraising campaign. (Sec Rule 201(e)) 8 An Exhibit 0, for which no printed form is provided, sets forth an account of money collected or received as a result of a fundraising campaign and transmitted for a foreign principal. 9 Things of value include but are not limited to gifts, interest free loans, expense free travel, favored stock purchases, exclusive rights, favored treatment over competitors, "kickbacks," and the like. Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM (PAGE 6) 15(a) DISBURSEMENTS-MONIES During this 6 month reporting period, have you (1) disbursed or expended monies in connection with activity on behalf of any foreign principal named in Items 7,8, or 9 of this statement? Yes 0 ' No □ (2) transmitted monies to any such foreign principal? Yes 0 No □ If no, explain in full detail why there were no disbursements made on behalf of any foreign principal. If yes, set forth below in the required detail and separately for each foreign principal an account of such monies, including monies transmitted, if any, to each foreign principal. Date Entire Period at regular intervals To Whom Judit Ramos Purpose Costs and expenses for documentary film, local employees and production. Amount $18,000 September 2017 Madeline Cabrera Hotel, Airfare, all as described in Section 13 here. $1,500 $19,500.00 Total Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM (PAGE 7) (b) DISBURSEMENTS-THINGS OF VALUE During this 6 month reporting period, have you disposed of anything of value10*other than money in furtherance of or in connection with activities on behalf of any foreign principal named in Items 7, 8, or 9 of this statement? No S Yes □ If yes, furnish the following information: Date (c) Recipient Foreign Principal Thing of Value Purpose DISBURSEMENTS-POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS During this 6 month reporting period, have you from your own funds and on your own behalf either directly or through any other person, made any contributions of money or other things of value" in connection with an election to any political office, or in connection with any primary election, convention, or caucus held to select candidates for political office? Yes 0 No □ If yes, furnish the following information: Date ALL REPORTING PERIODS Amount or Thing of Value Various contributions to Republican National Committee (RNC), Trump Make America Great Again (TMASGA) Political Organization or Candidate RNC, TMASGA, Location of Event Jnternet/mail contributions for Republican Candidates 10, 11 Things of value include but are not limited to gifts, interest free loans, expense free travel, favored stock purchases, exclusive rights, favored treatment over competitors, "kickbacks" and the like. Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM (PAGE 8) V - INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS 16. (a) During this 6 month reporting period, did you prepare, disseminate or cause to be disseminated any informational materials?12 Yes IE] No □ If Yes, goto Item 17. (b) If you answered No to Item 16(a), do you disseminate any material in connection with your registration? Yes □ No □ If Yes, please forward the materials disseminated during the six month period to the Registration Unit for review. 17. Identify each such foreign principal. Dominican Government Minister of the Interior, Dominican Federation of Mayors and Municipal Leaders (FEDOMU), FETRAFUR (Foundation for Work and Education Development), Raphael Sanchez. 18.. During this 6 month reporting period, has any foreign principal established'a budget or allocated a specified sum'of money to finance your artivities in preparing or disseminating informational materials? Yes □ No [E! If yes, identify each such foreign principal, specify amount, and indicate for what period of time. 19. During this 6 month reporting period, did your activities in preparing, disseminating or causing the dissemination of informational materials include the use of any of the following: 0 Radio or TV broadcasts IS Magazine or newspaper 0 Motion picture films 0 Letters or telegrams E Advertising campaigns E Press releases 0 Pamphlets or other publications 0 Lectures or speeches 0 Other (specify) Social Media, MiEmbajador.com, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter Electronic Communications 0 □ □ □ Email Website URL(s): www.MiEmbajador.com____________________________________________________________ Social media websites URL(s): Benjamin Irish on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter Other (specify) ______________ .___________________ 20. During this 6 month reporting period, did you disseminate or cause to be disseminated infonnational materials among any of the following groups: (El Public officials 0 Newspapers □ Libraries EEI Legislators 0 Editors (E) Educational institutions 0 Government agencies 0 Civic groupsor associations 0 Nationalify groups 0 Other (specify)General Population, over 3 million viewsin RD 21. What language was used in the infonnational materials: □ English 0 Other (specify) Spanish 22. Didyou file'with"the Registration Unit, U.S. Department of Justice a“cbpy ofeacH'itemofsuch informational materials disseminated or caused to be disseminated during this 6 month reporting period? Yes Q No ® 23. Did you label each item of such informational materials with the statement required by Section 4(b) of the Act? Yes EEI No □ 12 The term informational materials includes any oral, visual, graphic, written, or pictorial information or matter of any kind, including that published by means of advertising, books, periodicals, newspapers, lectures, broadcasts, motion pictures, or any means or instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce or otherwise. Informational materials disseminated by an agent of a foreign principal os part of an activity in itself exempt from registration, or an activity which by itself would not require registration, need not be filed pursuant to Section 4(b) of the Act Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM (PAGE 9) VI - EXECUTION In accordance-with 28 U.S.C. § 1746, die undersigned swear(s) or affirm(s) under penalty of perjury that he/she has (they have) read the information set forth in this registration statement and the attached exhibits and that he/she is (they are) familiar with the contents thereof and that such contents are in their entirety true and accurate to the best of his/her (their) knowledge and belief, except that the undersigned make(s) no representation as to truth or accuracy of the information contained in the attached Short Form Registration Statement(s), if any, insofar as such information is not within his/her (their) personal knowledge. (Date of signature) February 22,2018 (Print or type name under each signature or provide electronic signature !3) /s/ Benjamin Finbar Lagerstrom eSigned 13 This statement shall be signed by the individual agent, if the registrant is an individual, or by a majority of those partners, officers, directors or persons performing similar functions, if the registrant is an organization, except that the organization can, by power of attorney, authorize one of more individuals to execute this statement on its behalf. Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM COMMUNICATION TO PRINCIPLES AS TO FURTHERANCE OF COVENANTS Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM DESPACHO JURIDICO RAMOS & ASOCIADOS Camino Real M2 Puerto Plata, RD. 2/7/2018 Estimated Madeline Cabrera CC: All related Principles Benjamin Lagerstrom Cilherio Acevedo I.JSDOJ ft»r fillrog/reporting Benjamin Lagerstrom wants to file a rights assignment proposal with The White House and Department of Justice to attach corporate sponsorship to Dominican hard assets, such as sports stadiums, museums and tourist development projects. The program will he administered via FETRAFUR tor which you are Treasurer. As such, we will need to prevent this proposal on the official USDOJ register in order to secure the agreements from private corporations. Benjamin want to expresses to you that Brian Ballard has proposed a 5 1/2 billion dollar FMl package that is almost identical to every oilier package being proposed by other nations with debt payment issues. Benjamin's proposal will license privately $500-550 million u.s.. enough each year to meet FM! interest payments. Miguel Vargas office was denied something in the United Nations, probably because Bullard represents Venezuela and the Trump Administration ordered new sanctions against Venezuela and Cuba. FETRAFUR foundation is a great hope for the Dominican People as the administrator ot a program that quashes RD debt to the FM1. 90% plus of that bank money coming from the .Stares. Furthermore. Benjamin would greatly appreciate that, as treasurer of FETRAFUR and a registered public official that you discuss your position in PETRA and the fantastic job you did on securing the'Unit Agreement which The President and The While House received, reviewed and the Department of Justice registered us a positive first step on the path to restoring normal relations between the countries. Also. Benjamin received a message from Giiberio Acevedo last week but uo follow up. Regardless. Benjamin invites you and Mr. Acevedo to participate in the documentary project with an interview as a showing ot stellar public diplomacy between the nations. Please respond with a time and place to conduct these transactions as deadlines arc in effect on all projects. This information is filed with the United States Department of Justice on behalf of the representatives of the principles attached to lobbyist # (>453; further information is available at The United States Department of Justice. Washington. D C. Lie. Judit Ramos > (Benjamin Lagerscrom Reprcseniant in Dominican Republic) Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM DESPACHO JURIDICO RAMOS & ASOCIAOOS Camino Real #42 Puerto Plata, RD. 7/2/2018 Estimada Madeline Cabrera CC: Todos ios principios reiacionados 8enjamin Lagerstrom Giiberto Acevedo USDOJ para llenar / informar luego de saludarle el motivo de la misma es porque el sehor Benjamin Lagerstrom quiere presentar una propuesta de asignacibn de derechos con la Casa Blanca y el Departamento de Justicia para vincular el patrocinio corporative* a activos dominicanos, como estadios deportivos, museos y proyectos de desai rollo turistico. El programa de estos patrocinios se administrarb a traves de FETRAFUR para del cual usted es Tesorera. Como tal, necesitaremos presentar esta propuesta en el registro oficial de USDOJ para asegurar Ios acuerdos de las corporaciones privadas. Benjamin desea expresarle que Brian Ballard ha propuesto un paquete FMl de 5 1/2 billorie's de ddlares que es casi id^ntico a cualquier otro paquete propuesto por otras naciones con problemas de pago de deuda. La propuesta de Benjamin otorgarb una licencia privada de 500-550 millones de dolares estadounidenses, suficiente cada ano para cumplir con Ios pagos de intereses de FMl. A la oficina de Miguel Vargas se le negb algo en las Naciones Unidas, probablemente porque Ballard represents a Venezuela y la Administracidn Trump ordend nuevas sancrones contra Venezuela y Cuba. La fundacidn FETRAFUR es una gran esperanza para el pueblo dominicano como administrador de un programa que anula la deuda de RO con la FMl. el 90% mas de ese dinero proveniente de los Estados Unidos. Adembs, Benjamin agradecerla enormemente que, que usted como parte de FETRAFUR y un funcionario publico registrado, comparta en nuestro proyecto documental sobre su posicibn en FETRA y el fantbstico trabajo que hizo para asegurar el Acuerdo de Unidad que el President^ y la Casa Blanca recibieron, revisaron y el Departamento de Justicia registrado como un primer paso positivo en el camino hacia la restauracibn de las relaciones normales entre los palses Adembs, Benjamin recibib un mensaje de Giiberto Acevedo la semana pasada, el cual no tuvo seguimiento. En cualquier caso, Benjamin los invita a usted y al Sr. Acevedo a partidpar en el proyecto documental con una entrevista para mostrar la diplomacia publics estelar entre las naciones. Responda con un horario y lugar para reali2ar estas transacciones ya que los plazos estan en vigencia en todos ios proyectos. Esta informacibn se archiva con e! Departamento de Justicia de los Estados Unidos en nombre de los representantes de los principios vinculados al cabiidero # 64S3; hay mbs informacibn disponibie en el Departamento de Justicia de los Estados Unidos, Washington, O.C. Lie. Judit Ramos Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM It «■ l V Buenas noches Madeline, espero estes bien, hace un tiempo que no se de ti. Disculpa la hora en que te escribo, a continuation te envio una comunicacion de parte de Benjamin la cual el me pidio que fuera hoy encarecidamente aunque fuese tarde. Disculpa nuevamente la hora y aqui te lo envio. Buenas noches. T:. DESPACHO JVRJDtCO RAMOS & ASOCIADOS Camino Real *42 Puerto Plata. RD. CX- Uflt*'* *r'3% n»n .'4W* JjI ?rs v r. f -*> CARTA A MADELINE Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM m.facebook.com/story.php? ? ■ story_fbid=310999385971319&id=10 y . 0011837794500 5:12 pm V• ; JANUARY 29, 2018 Benjamin / . 2;3opm Msaludo hermano 2 30 pm Le llegara n eorreo de la cancillerfa 2:30 PM \ - Pend note .2;3opm Pendiente 2:30 7; pm Esta bien, mi eorreo electronico es ' benjaminirishbizline@gmail.com, / mi numero de registro USDOJ es 6473. Estare encahtado de recibir su • comunicacion. a.qipu^// Espero que estes bien. 4 0s pm Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM ^ f: Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Benjamin Irish jlinete a los 50,000 dominicanos que vieron est www.facebook.com Fotos de distribucion, documental Mi Embajador: https://miacebook.com/ =314250692312 855&id=100011837794500 5;47aM// story.php?story_fbid / FEBRUARY 7, 2018 DESPACHO JURID1CO RAMOS & ASQCIADOS Camino Real 842 Puerto Plata, RD. CC: Tcdoj lot principles reloticnados Benjamin lagcrttrom CARTA A MADELINE ESPAN... 1 page - PDF 9:54 PM x/>' Hola hermano, aunque todavfa no he recibido ninguna informacion del ministerio, espero con interes trabajar rnn iictoH \t MaHolina conun lac Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM > Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM pnoxos — wun sanara manco and 123 others. Feb 6 at 12:13am jUnete a los 50,000 dominicanos que vieron este video hoy! "Mi Embajador", la voz de The People: httpsfaGebook.com/story.php? story_fbid=313939059010685&id=1000118377 94500 5kn;w*;:' '.-.'viir'wS 'V' ari“ itsg»:§ mm '.'Ur II m «mw M M TOSiai'ft-aKsiwB SMS*-M W$mm F-H**-i£ST *83 mm #3: w - M ii.w8 Hj-iWS' ? fiteiAiSsi * :% StviCw wMl rnmm ««■ ftixw tti Wtf* SfiSS^S t!2i a Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM RELATED ARTICLES/COMMUNICATION Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM <§) Your Post Ss Public Benjamin Irish added 12 new photos — with Suyeiry Sanchez Ramirez and 41 others. Feb 14 at 9:02a,'n C.:*t El articulo de noticias mas importante en Republica Dominicana. Miguel Vargas debe mantener el Acuerdo de Unidad del 11 de Febrero con los Estados Unidos de America. El liderazgo se basara en una politico economica solida. En este momento, la Republica Dominicana es el epicentro de la polftica occidental, y debemos ser cautelosos con lo que es real y falso. El futuro del pais, y su paz, depende de esto. . En octubre de 2016, los lideres dominicanos se me acercaron en Nueva York para analizar las Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Leadership will be predicated by sound economic policy. Right now The Dominican Republic is the epicenter of Western politics, and vve need to be cautious of what is real and what is fake. The future of the country, and it's peace, depends on this. In October of 2016 I was approached by Dominican leaders in New York to discuss Dominican bond proposals and the FMI interest rate payments. Years earlier, YEARS, this same group came to me with the same concerns. This time my deep concern was the developing situation in Venezuela. I warned them Venezuela, their second largest trading partner at the time, would fall. During early 2017 Venezuela went from representing around 7% of the Dominican economy to 5% and eventually to 0%. Now Venezuela only drains economic resources from RD. It has a negative economic impact, which affects the quality of life for all of us. Let's not meddle. We have to speak in reality. Beyond any economic factor, it cannot be denied: Nicholas Maduro is the modern day Hitler of Latin America. There is no solid reason either under God or as a nation that any leader from any free and civilized country should even entertain the idea of assisting this evil. Last year members of the oppressed Venezuelan Supreme Court contacted me for passage out of the country. They sent samples of records that had been ordered destroyed, verdicts forced by Maduro's killer army sentencing political activists to prison terms. This is qualifying war crimes evidence and will be submitted.to The International Court if this maniac ever makes it there, but he vvon't. I am certain Nicholas Maduro will eventually see his military turn on him. Many of these people have since disappeared. This is only one part of heinous genocide. Other parts include an unholy alliance with Cuba, transporting planes loaded with guns and drugs through Haiti, and selling thousands of Venezuelan passports on the black market under fake names to anybody with about $4,000 U.S. We have no idea who really has landed in this country from Venezuela. Fortunately vye have The United States prepared to defend human rights the world over. I would hate to imagine how much worse of a situation this would be had Hillary Clinton been elected President. I am thankful we have President Trump's leadership in these hard times. He is picking up a mess left behind like the assortment of Clintons, Obamas, Brewsters and others who have what I believe is a bizarre relationship with communism. Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez, Che Guevara, they are all murderers who take the life of Catholics for merely disagreeing with them. The facts hurt, and they never stop hurting. 1 B i Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM The leaders of tomorrow will have to usher in eras of true peace and transparency in their nations. It is simply an act against God to support Maduro. The Dominican Republic is right now in the same war time position as England before Churchill. We must review our history and see the fruits in refusing to negotiate with Maduro on any level, because in reality, you cannot negotiate with terrorists. I explained, in October of 2016 in New York to Dominican leaders: The FMI interest payment is the number one economic concern for RD. I do not believe in "restructuring" that interest. The interest obligations need to be met and can easily be met, all that needs to be done is to assign hard asset licensing rights. Venezuela is the single most volatile situation facing The Dominican Republic today, and the. failed State is not something to take lightly. The implosion of a communist nation in a global society affects everything. The concessions required by the FMI are subject to the relations we keep with other nations. There must, MUST, be an across the board rejection of communism and we must stop all trade with Cuba, Venezuela and Haiti immediately. RIGHT NOW, Every day more that we continue to deal with these rogue nations, we zap more and more life out of our economy. The Dominican Republic cannot afford, either in money or resources, to support two-thirds of these interconnected nations. The snake’s head is Cuba, which is supporting the military in both Venezuela and Haiti, well, what's left of the Haitian military, that is. This is all about black market trade to fill the pockets and stomachs of political figures in these nations. Cuba and Venezuela are in economic chokeholds, and need to do whatever they can to pay their military. This is a major mountain for communist nations to climb. How do you pay your army if you have eliminated ail of your economy? If a store is not making a profit selling it’s products, it closes and the business is lost. Communism survives on a thread, and always fails in the long run. We cannot underestimate the dire, dire situation which belongs to Cuba. Cuba is like a loan shark. A pimp. Cuba disperses un chin por uh chin in their resources to their neighbors, black market favors that are so miniscule in comparison to legitimate global trade partners that they don't even register as a single percent of Dominican trade. If you asked me the sum total of Cuba money and trade favors dispersed since 2016 over the Westernmost portions of The Dominican Republic, I would put the figure at somewhere around twenty million dollars. That is less than 0.003% of the proposed new debt offering for the nation. And what do Dominicans get in return for this...? Well, total collapse of democracy, for one. 2 Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM When the economy goes, liberty goes too. They are interwoven. The amount of money from Cuba is so miniscule, in fact, that mayors and leaders from along the border with Haiti, where this influence peddling from Cuba takes place, have had to ask for support for amounts as small as several thousand U.S. dollars to complete local civic duties. Now the same U;S. Democrats who have this sick fascination with Cuba and communist societies are creating a fake, purely political explosion over tourism on the eastern side of RD. to distract the international community from their involvement bn the Western side. Recently, on the eve of ANOTHER Dominican bond restructuring (for $1.83 billion dollars), I began to receive emails and phone calls from reporters of web-based news services inquiring about Eric Trump, The Unity Agreement of February 2017 and development of tourism in The Dominican Republic. Dominican representatives who signed The February 11th Unity Agreement seem to forget that at the end of the day, trust is everything, and if they fail to deliver on it's provisos, which include hard work toward the shared objectives of the agreement, then they have left no further reason for Washington to trust them. The bond restructuring comes on the heels of a claim that The Dominican Economy improved by 1.5% in 2016 and will continue along those lines for the year that just closed. 2017. These numbers are nonsense, and everybody knows it. How did the economy grow by 3% oyer two years, when in the same two years Venezuela extracted 7% of the economy, international aide saw a whopping 40% reduction, Haiti continues to drain the nation of approximately 400.000 jobs, and immigration, both legal and illegal, is on the rise? Those bonds are issued to account for all sorts of expenditures, including the FMl interest payments that at about S550 million U.S. dollars per year. The bond carries interest itself of 5.5-8.0%. Even if the economy had improved 1.5% each of the last two years, this falls FAR short of what the new bond is pegged at. But these are just fantasy numbers. The 30 year bond will never survive to fruition. You don't replace d debt with new debt. You replace it by completing the interest payment and making payments against the principle. This will bring major corporations to The Dominican Republic. 3 G a Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM The focus has to be paying the FMI interest clean and on time each year, plus a part of the principle. This is the only way The Dominican Bond will reach an A-Grade level again. To coyer all costs associated, the Government needs to raise this money through direct private investment, something the leaders of the country opened the do'or to in the 1990's, but fail to properly implement. It cannot be a restructured loan. The money needed is far more than The Unites States will strap on the backs of taxpayers but. for private Fortune 500 companies, this is just a drop in the bucket. To finally receive these truly top class organizations, companies like Microsoft, Google and Facebook. we have to show them; 1) We are.safe to operate in, totally in unison with international human rights laws, exhibited, and; 2) The privatization that occurs under communism, what happened in Venezuela, will never happen here. This is achieved by strengthening the laws to ban the practices of tyranny. The standard claim is that Tourism is the biggest part of The Dominican Economy. Well, let's be honest, no poll, no percentage, no census in this nation has ever been conducted that is legitimate. There is no measurement for precisely how much money generates back to the street from the resorts in RD. I am a promoter, and my business is counting heads. I have never seen a resort 100% filled to capacity in RD, so why build new ones? Every hotel worker I speak to tells me the same thing, that they are underpaid, and many times they go unpaid, while working sixteen hour days and that they don’t earn enough to do what every single person in the 90% NEEDS to do: Improve the quality of life at home for their families, There is a change that has to occur in tourism if we are going to lead Latin America. We need to understand that the current class of tourist to The Dominican Republic, for the most part, is a bad customer. They are mainly cheap Americans and Europeans who flock to the resorts the same way corrupt construction business bosses flock to illegal immigrants on the streets of The United States; They look for one thing only, the cheapest price. Then they never come back, and one can assume the damage they do is far more costly than the tiny amount of money they spend, which does not extend past the resort gates. Currently tourists on average come ONE TIME to RD and then visit another location on the next trip. 4 Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Far. far past the 20% mark come for the sex business. These are the worst type of people we can have in RD. and Fortune 500 companies run for the hilts when they see this. These type of tourists enact a far greater tax and toll on generations of Dominicans than they ever contribute to our society. Of course the #1 tourist to The Dominican Republic is Bill Clinton, the former U.S. President who was impeached for perjury and Obstruction of Justice for extramarital affairs IN THE WHITE HOUSE, and who has been accused of sexual assault by multiple women and sexual harassment by TEN women publicly. President Trump has publicly stated The Glintons have manipulated the media to attack their political opponents, and now they have brought that fake news manipulation to this island via a reporter named Bernardo Vega. This man has made claims that he has knowledge of President Trump's family engaging in business at Cap Cana through the Trump Organization. How does he know this? Has he seen proof? Of course not, because if he had proof of this he would display it. Instead he prints carefully worded opinions that allude to this, because the rumors and the conjecture are simply that, ideas in his head based on zero first hand experience. On February 11th, 2017 I signed The Unity Agreement Between Nations with three representatives of The Dominican Government, one of them Gilberto Acevedo, a charge of Miguel Vargas, The Secretary of State. The circumstances behind this gathering are of extreme importance in the history shared between our Nations. Prior to the meeting I had conducted two meetings on behalf of a principle at the Dominican Ambassador’s residence in Washington, D.C. During this time President Barack Obama was having a political temper-tantrum with several foreign countries, including The Dominican Republic. He had ordered large amounts of foreign nationals to leave the United States, most namely Russians. Obama was highly engaged in the departure of Wally Brewster from his post as U.S. Ambassador to The Dominican Republic. He refused. REFUSED to accept Brewster’s resignation until after turning the screws on Danilo Medina and SUPPORTING Brewster's madness. Wally Brewster is a perfect example of the type of corruption that goes on by and through U.S .Democrats. Brewster attempted to use 100% of U.S. Embassy resources on a tiny, tiny portion of The Dominican Population. He committed all of his time and energy to negative efforts on the behalf of NOBODY except the LGBT community, and flatly denied support to every other Dominican in The Republic. He was the worst U.S. Ambassador ever, and totally 5 Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM insubordinate in his duties. Brewster tried to enact EXTRA rights for LGBT persons in the RD, which is far different than defending their rights, and actually hurts them more than helps them. That's discrimination. Breyyster and his trouble-making buddies attacked President Medina and he actually attacked The Catholic Church. Their associates continue these attacks today. Now Democrats are trying to feed us the story that President Trump refused a meeting with President Medina. The only way they would have knowledge of such a refusal would be if they were listening in on President Trump's phone calls... In reality, because Democrats are masters at blurring the line between reality and fantasy, in part because they have no concept of the difference for themselves, we knoyy the phone lines between Washington and Santo Domingo were cut off, starting with Obama and continuing through February of 2017. If nobody was answering the phone, how did Trump refuse a meeting with Medina? This is the reason I was in Santo Domingo on February 11th to sign The Unity Agreement. Because there was no communication between the nations, and The Dominican . Government desired to reopen those phone lines. When we met, one of the first things discussed that day was Eric Trump being in the nation. A picture, different than the one shown above but in the same setting, was shown to me.by Gilberto Acevedo of The Ministry of The Exterior, which encompasses the tourism ministry. These Dominican Representatives asked if I was in town to meet with Eric. I explained that I have never met Eric Trump and did not even know he was in the country. Then it was asked if I could provide access to him on the island. The Tourism Ministry, the same group accused by this reporter of engaging in business with him, was without access to him, so how could they have done such a thing? No secret meeting occurred. Unicorns don't exist. There was no meeting, because their representative for that was sitting in a conference room with me in Santo Domingo signing an agreement that was presented by it's signatories publicly, posted on Facebook, registered with The U.S. Justice Department, received by President Trump, reviewed by The White House and discussed by those same Dominican leaders at public events and meetings throughout The Dominican Republic and elsewhere, in front of churches and orphanages, alongside politicians and officials, before THE PEOPLE. Part of that Agreement entails working hard toward the restoration of trust between the nations, and entails support and assistance for Trump Administration immigration policies, including a general benefits clause that mutually protects us. This agreement was signed to 6 C Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM bring security and protection to The Dominican People. Secretary of State Miguel Vargas has a responsibility to act in good faith of this agreement'If he is going to appoint his people to get a job done for him, he has to accept the job they do and stand behind their work. The sanctions imposed on Venezuela and Cuba are a perfect opportunity to begin to meet these terms. It was during the Kennedy Administration that a maniacal dictator. Fidel Castro, attempted to bring nuclear war to The Americas. As The Dominican Republic and The' United States stood side by side against tyranny and terror then, we should do so now. Nicholas Maduro is the Latin American Hitler. Innocent people.have died since you started to read this article. The sanctions against Venezuela are a rejection of that country from the international community. Hugo Chavez did what all politicians do. which is promise everything in the world and deliver nothing. He brought tyranny to Venezuela and privatized as many industries as he could. He was a colorful character, but turned a once great nation into something that resembled Cold War Russia more and more each day of his life. No progressive corporation or organization will invest in Venezuela again, because it broke it's promises. Trust is everything Gilberto Acevedo sent me a terse message last week, a message that said nothing but alluded to everything. I have since asked his assign, Madeline Cabrera, also a signatory to The Unity Agreement, to uphold 1) her duties by the agreement, 2) her duties as a registered foreign agent with The United States Department of Justice, and 3) her duties as the Treasurer of the work and education initiative FETRAFUR. So far the two of them have been completely insubordinate in these responsibilities. Secretary of State Vargas must, to maintain his own respectability, take control of his subordinates. Mr. Vargas' assignees are his employees. I am very disappointed in Mr. Acevedo and Ms. Cabrera for short-changing The Dominican People. They had made a promise to be a part of the essential, important voice to Washington along with us. Instead they have been deadly quiet, more concerned with lobbyists that charge extravagant fees and claim they will deliver them direct access to President Trump. I guess it bothers them that we did this for free. I guess it bothers them that their friends have designated huge amounts of money to lobbyists to get the attention of President Trump for their backward economic strategies, but that we, THE PEOPLE got the job done for nothing. President Trump's review of the circumstances this nation is in, after receiving the emails, messages, and letters from THE DOMINICAN PEOPLE is. in my opinion, a truly unique and truly special part of our history. In fact, it is an international event. I wish these bureaucrats 7 Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM could have been happy enough with that, and left their egos at home and kept their promises. Maybe we could have paid off that FMI interest free of debt this year, Maybe there would be lots of work for the.good people in RD, had bureaucracy not entrenched itself in their plans. Instead Ms. Cabrera took a trip to Cuba, and marched alongside the communists. When she returned I was in Azua, intervening in a tense situation between La Marcha Verde and Dominican leaders there. I agreed to meet with her that afternoon in Santo Domingo. I looked out the window of the hotel we stayed in and out to The Caribbean Sea. It was glimmering behind two flags--the flags of our countries. I noted there was no Cuban flag • flying there. I explained to Ms. Cabrera this was because brave men, Dominicans and Americans, one of them my father, stood together on warships in that very sea to protect us from disaster during The Cuban Missile Crisis. Cuba. I explained to her, wanted to shoot nuclear bombs into U.S. cities, and kill millions. It was the alliance between Juan Bosch and John Kennedy that prevented that horror from happening. I explained to her that The United States would reapply the embargo against Cuba, and that she had made a mistake. But as a framer of U.S. Law. I explained to Ms. Cabrera, The United States is the land of second chances. We do not harbor vendettas. I asked if she would like to visit Washington to see what Freedom is all about. She took me up on the offer months later. I also asked her that day if she believed Cuba would have been as kind to her as I was, had the circumstances been reversed, and she was seeking a Unity Agreement with Cuba and took a trip to Washington and marched for human rights, instead of communism... The Cubans would have thrown her in prison. With Communists there are no second chances. U.S. Democrats have installed tremendous conflict into Hispaniola since President Clinton's first term. Their bizarre fascination with' Haiti is a front for the truth: Haiti allows for the greatest labor manipulation schemes in the world. The Haitian government has made slaves of their people, many are children, and allows The Hillary Clinton Fund to move thousands of jobs back and forth between Haiti and RD to increase and decrease revenues for finance based corporations. These corporations benefit from speculation. Meanwhile we pay the real price. Furthermore, these corporations should be held accountable. Putting children to work when they should be in school and enjoying life is an abomination, and in my opinion, when Americans do this, it's even worse. It is totally against everything The United States 8 e B s Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM represents. I have said it before and I say it again: How can a woman who wants to be President of The United States allow for her fund to support factories that hire child labor and make them work six days a week, twelve hours a day. for 23 cents an hour? This is INHUMAN. It is also un-American. Shame on Hillary Clinton, and shame on anybody who supports child labor, period. Democrat or Republican. The solution lies in a great push forward to create a business environment in The Dominican Republic that is conducive to the values and principles of the world's greatest organizations. It is time to close the border with Haiti, stop trade with Venezuela, stop relations with Cuba and more than anything, keep our promises. There are forces at work trying to paint a picture of The Trump Organization cutting deals on the eastern coast of The Dominican Republic and Eric Trump being personally involved. This is nonsense. I ha ve first hand knowledge of just how much garbage these claims are. They also claim that President Danilo Medina was refused a visit by President Trump, based on the word of Bernardo Vega, the aforementioned news reporter, vvho has absolutely zero first hand knowledge of any of what he claims to be fact. This is done to promote that $1.83 billion dollar bond on Wall Street, and then push through an even more extravagant $5.5 billion dollar finance deal that will cripple The Dominican Republic. Of course, the Clintons have been hanging around Hispaniola recently, and the new circus show for Wall Street is complete and total conjecture and has the potential to further decrease the Dominican Bond rating. Some bond rating systems mark us one click away from a C-grade. This behavior is akin to the Captain abandoning the ship. It is absurd and needs to stop. It is like taking the entire resources of The Dominican Republic and throwing them on the table at a Casino in Las Vegas. In a recent filing with The Justice Department I called a proposed 5.5 billion dollar finance proposal "fantasy land crap”. Well, it is. It will cripple the Dominican economy. Even more disturbing are the large sums of aide it supplies for Haiti, and the fact that it proposed by a lobbyist who is also representing Venezuelan principles against sanctions. And that is against the Unity Agreement. $5.5 billion dollars and $1.83 billion dollars in loans are riot only absurd, but will hurt Dominicans. I ask you, do you believe you will ever see any of this money in your own 9 Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM pocket? A $1.83 billion bond hit the market a few days ago... Do you see a line to sign up workers to fill jobs? Do you see the garbage getting picked up? Do you see healthcare being offered? We are not fixing roofs, but we have money for new casinos and resorts, while the existing ones sit empty and fail to turn a profit? The reality is the majority of this money will never even enter the country. What disturbs me the most about the $5.5 billion dollar "fantasy land" proposal is that nowhere in it do I see an initiative for education. What I do see is a proposal to increase trade with Haiti... What in the world does Haiti have to offer us? My plan calls for hard assets licensing deals that pay out the entire FMI interest rate each year and a part of the principle. They include attaching corporations to public works projects in a big way, and attracting the greatest companies in the world, many of which already have an eye on RD but are afraid to do business here because they fear privatization similar to the Hugo Chavez regime. They are scared of The Dominican Republic becoming another Venezuela. They have good reason for this, and it's easy to see why with your own two eyes. I am sick and tired of the poor people being totally used and abused in The Dominican Republic, i am completely fed up with it. I am angry and saddened that we have millions of good people who could desperately use as little as an extra ten or twenty dollars a week, our closest neighbors, and instead of doing what needs to done, people are being looked at as a commodity that can be traded, like coffee or metal. Enough is enough. It's time Miguel Vargas imposed his own hand against Ms. Cabrera and Mr. Acevedo and held them accountable for the promises they made to the United States. They also need to come clean and admit to the people that they had no knowledge or affiliation with Eric Trump's activities while he was in The Dominican Republic, as the recent media reports require clarification against the speculations around Mr. Acevedo's office, in the interests of good relations with Washington. It is time the bureaucrats started being less bureaucratic, before there is nothing left to be bureaucratic about. 10 Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM The people of The Dominican Republic saved mylife and gave me the greatest strength. People in places like Hato del Yaque and Barrio Linda. True friends in areas like Mari Lopez and Colinas del Sur, in Santiago. To be your voice to Washington is the greatest honor I have ever received. The United States owes you, and I personally owe you as Weil. I owe this to the grandmothers with holes in their roofs. I owe.this to the teachers who have not been paid in months but still teach. I owe this to the men and women who walk miles every morning knocking on doors looking for work. I owe this to the generation of teenagers who have never had a first job, because illegal Haitians have stolen their opportunity. I owe this to the single mothers who throw their hands in the air at night in frustration, wondering how they will buy diapers for their babies. I owe this to the parents who go to bed hungry rather than denying their kids a full plate of food. I know what you are going through. It is time for a change. You are not alone. Benjamin Irish www.MEmbaiador.com 1T Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM f SB Ai '-i-: <*.v ■33^ :V m. s% 65'' A 3== r 1/ -.t ^ ^ i y> - i 'J&rtj- '**#1 \WM <» ' ' V 1/ */ hS ^ >. ■ ,'£&ro /)C£i/£Oc? PPfUll »$$s!g iiSSSi , «4v ..Ll. ;2S2 Slt£ W$r, *r»%mFh Ti'ff'T- s$jfc5. • mmm mm sk ' »5w.a**W.-: mm>•'■. ®yi» m-?. a&dM syssii.1, i $®n fxi. i-j -. :ni: &•: }. . •’ ••.': «« >3 y *> r 1 i> ^Sss« ti-'J ?v:.V, K&. ’ ^ 3%.' ,v: • iMKMilSBmiftLV' S« ■! a>y. • V.'7 ,mcc ■p, ■ r •■.ir. ,!•$£', :' ,t. v*? ®*:o : ■<:■%{.. 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V. . * • ft! ■' .i ; ’ 'X* ' ■k • ■• -.«• \v; Dll • ?• 4nLJJ Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM $ W- t IS II* wjwiift Kurt ft\rtfegr T&jk >*« mw* ?#, ? s>yv ** \ A 4 MS* t&attc* wp.- &*&£» Siam nr r»«c«ftjfw%th 0 £&*&»& ar* of 'tft7-3.-ure«3*:« : y*$ rWmfm <> :iJgm m m m W« n& ,. ■ - *ss&8??s - T3 1 wiwt '■ r !>' C> ■ t , J . 1 ' - * - V[1V(wT\ y'l^'-v A A' * -•' 1 %■» I \, 1,., ' „ ; ", ; 41- ‘,-A!; S A/ ^ A v ~ , ^ t iL' -.; "y1 ^ _ _ ii * 'I I 1 ill II I 3M: With Benjamin Irish in Washington, D.C. The United States is about second chances. © Isaury Polanco and 1 other d Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM INTERVIEW REQUEST EMAILS AND NEWS ARTICLE FROM MARCUS BARAM / FAST COMPANY MAGAZINE Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM ■1 C? 0» -— W! S’ ; Is SI 51 ijl3 ?7 « T1 :t-j r-'* Pr •- Sa 2lS *3 0) " i) * s5 * a fc’. t/i 501 S « 2 ai Ol5 ISs O- fl i? s i Sa s. n e-S s<--5 P ffl ns Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM imo:•AiiRflMJo:i]S8j©uiRii3:3^j sroieui Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM 'D € ~ £. * — Z' Zl fI a■* sa 9 a ~ 82 □I 9 iikiicus MBaiamfgXasii.’Oi'npany.coin ID 35 a s c Sr =• ■•so- ci c< * P3 n= - m* Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM jenjamm S’ g 5 bs.f a - Z 3 a a < c 09 sr toOS = Z. & V. s sC (l> T 2 5 cs £. c£ ~ fs jt 3 3. 3 4, © ' » CL ! .s □I a. 5s '■* S’ ^ re ? C e e e. o S 3. S5. s' 1= i: *>s’ i /? ^3' * I V £ w 3 R 3 I a. , Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM n iai cus IvtBai at n@aslcompany.com !• Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:-52:-51, PM X m -Benjamin a. !■= am ff. 2 r. 5 r ~ $5 -rt 171 ? & ac ws a> V! a; < is 5L s’ w s. © O o 3 "O 0) D *< a)_ —> xa a ST re « e * •eSi fD (A o 3 x 5. 5' o c 2 5 » 3' a £5. si 3 0) 03 Q) N 3 3 02 e f* O- Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM i> I iii 5 I- ** t S £ - *Tr -1 . SV ! i; ^ r c t; *Ti -• aI S{U ■? r i/i F ie w 3 ^ 5\< ti c IM —v m 2. Js 3 * fe- *• cr - , =! £ E) 5^j: tTi s A V: ST i; sT> s .? ’ ijiuys and ijuns ir. Main. how poor Oc'ininican molheis have Imulit*- ivediriy then children, chuier*. HIV /*1L'G. Nm- rocephaly. Muslim influence. Odebrect, the s slavery, communist infiltration, bleaches o* Embassy secunty arid The Hillary Clinton Fund shipping ?.iW) jobs In Haiti and sending equipment »/iih it. That's ; to participate in §;3 “•* TU' y, 2l * uinDA.HKlaio:'isP ©iiieiya Aj sidjsui Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM c »S =*■ V .1 11 ££ o £ 3 E 5. s, * .ir c_ ? £I§ “ * 'll f-l > 4- .5 r i1 =r r» o y. I aV s t 3s I 3 53B •? * ? £ 3 rt.* — 13 «■ • ? r 5 ■§. p • f FI Hi IM "11 =. r 1 Cl = £ = 3 *• Si* •i C 21 'r. CO ,N> i, ‘ Z i €> ^ a.^ C3 '^A ss 5 S si ^ 5 '■$ -3 O ~ 3- 3 2?« 5 u* ^ =r r. ^ -=- "C i- 3 ■S * * ^ - * 3 .-. Z5‘ " d < <* b o- O o c_ O O) IT ^ n*' o' -* w* w *3 -' 2 z.l rr 3* 35 o 03 3 V) O o o o< -o03 3 3. 3 f- 7 1. 'vi 3 ^ *9 r o (0 3 A 'al1 * o3 c»« 3A ^ O <*> & £ ? ^ j £_ « ~ i-f C tfi -* =■O o -f«. 1 r J o - t» ,- iT? £* a m M X 3! c ESI H 3* O =r. .* ■=;* -• 27 Co j* 3 = 25s c — rr x» 5 0 £ ?;• $!5* 22 2j•* 3 s O' 03 St I; to 'tl *! <» cc ££ 3 © eu‘- M Q. Q. 03 O 03 <■ 3 et £#fc ■E1- ? o 03 as Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM == SSi sav>u Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM £ o )• '}& i m m £ n I ?1 3 li 3a » 1 I Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM 30 rn Benjamin ri'A O •"I =' H £ £ft cr o -• g I. * ff. 7 S' i cr <■* 3- S Tl a> VI 03 3 £ 3 =*/s 71 S i5JP g. bT os> d @ o a (C Q) N. 3 fl? S. a. O': © c gL r: C — 5. L 3- - E fl*■ .=; X tC c 13 Vi . ^ If E =• s sc o cm C. rt c.. ^ I* s c S — C/( it5*. d § S' *s * pi i w V.- d »• re i 8®I m 4MC ■i*XA. !»«• afci 3fe 8k m?/ Just last month, Trump’s partner on the island, the powerful Capa Cana Group, was granted permits and financial incentives to build 17 towers, including the Condos Playa Juanillo project, which has reportedly been linked to the Trump Organization. Ricardo Hazoury, who runs the Cap Cana Group and signed the original deal with Trump, did not return requests for comment. And Garten only replied: “Over the years we have discussed moving forward with additional phases but nothing was ever finalized” ____________ ___________ Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM But the project has stirred up plenty of controversy on the island, due to a proposal requested by the Cap Cana Group—and supported by the Dominican government—to dramatically increase the long-standing height restrictions of buildings on the coast, from 4 stories to 22 stories. The higher height limit would be a big benefit for hoteliers, who could then pack more high-priced condos into them. For decades, the island has insisted that buildings in that area not exceed the height of the coconut trees, a regulation meant to preserve the natural beauty of the region. When the island’s tourism ministry introduced the proposal, apparently without any environmental impact assessment, it was greeted with widespread condemnation. (By coincidence, one of the hoteliers opposed Jo the proposal, the Punta Cana Group, Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM i Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM MetroK 4\> & % O' ^ 3X; 2:57 AM hosted former President Bill Clinton this' week for a visit.) “For decades, Punta Cana has been a development in harmony with its environment—but putting up high-rises on the beach would change everything and turn it into Cancun,” says Roberto Alvarez, the former Dominican ambassador to the Organization of American States. Government sources say the debate over the proposal, and the decision whether to grant approval to the Trump-affiliated project, has reached the highest levels, including the office of Dominican President Danilo Medina. “Of course, it’s on everyone’s mind—that this will help Cap Cana and help Trump,” an aide in the tourism ministry tells Fast Company. As an indication of its outsize influence, government officials have referred to the entire Cap Cana development as “the Trump project” during meetings with Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM regional politicians and hotel industry leaders. SCANNERS “Here in the palace, the president’s thoughts are that this U.S. president is angry and we better not get in his way,” says Bernardo Vega, the former Dominican ambassador to the U.S. “We don’t want to cross him.” Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM ‘:Metrqp<, .4i 0®? -T,L/- S3./ FROM UGLY LAWSUIT TO HANDSHAKES AND SMILES Just before his inauguration, Trump’s attorney announced at a press conference that “No new foreign deals will be made whatsoever during the duration of President Trump’s presidency.” So when Eric Trump flew in to visit the island and pose for pictures with the Cap Cana Group’s owners less than two weeks after his father took the oath of office, it raised plenty of eyebrows. SB If* i .H -.fizra Z&Kti&Vl.Hirl'UCteU CAP CANA WELCOMES EPiC TdJMD Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM At the time, the Trump Organization’s counsel Garten insisted that any project in the Dominican Republic would not be considered a new deal, citing the 2007 deal with the Cap Cana Group. In those years, the Dominican company sold millions of dollars worth of condos at Farallon Trump at Cap Cana, a resort the partnership Was developing—the resort was even featured on the sixth season finale of The Apprentice—but the project foundered amid the financial recession and an ugly lawsuit filed by Trump against the Hazourys in 2012. Trump accused the family of “textbook fraud” over allegedly hidden property sales, and a Hazoury brother wrote to Eric Trump that the resort’s finances were “precarious on the best of days and more akin to bungee jumping.” Eventually, the two sides settled their differences. Since then, the project has Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM MetroR'. iO © ' . , 7%- ■iDu, '<$; S'; AM ■ been dormant, with weeds sprouting through some of the foundations laid for the much-anticipated luxury project. Now, with Trump in office, and his family’s company exploring a reengagement of that deal, the circumstances surrounding the current plans for Cap Cana have lent themselves to widespread speculation. Though the height-increase proposal was introduced in October, it was only made public the week before Christmas, when news rpariprshin tvnirallv rlrnns off Onlv a___ Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4'52v51 PM MetroR D'K) .©-2f4; .alij 1 39%' .2^57 AM week after the height-increase proposal was disclosed, the financially troubled Cap Cana Group announced that it was restructuring its debt for $364 million. The deal was arranged by A.J. Mediratta of Greylock Capital, who also restructured the debt of Trump’s Ocean Club project in Panama in 2013. {■A'. llllllm I READ?MORm, 1 m mh m W .3? m usssemm £ Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM In gratitude for the restructuring, Cap Cana executives thanked Dominican President Medina, his tourism ministry, and “important groups of international and national investors at this moment are developing large projects within the aforementioned destination.” Mediratta declined to discuss the circumstances of his involvement in the Cap Cana deal. Ethics experts point to the Dominican deal as “one more example of a foreign entanglement for the Trump business empire that creates conflicts of interest,” according to Richard Painter, who was the chief White House ethics lawyer during the George W. Bush administration. The White House press office did not reply to a request for comment. ACCUSED OF BENDING OVER BACKWARDS Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM MetroRU4i>!i© ^ ' The potential Trump development is politically sensitive in the Dominican Republic since Trump’s policies have been widely viewed as harmful to the country’s economic interests, from the potential return of thousands of Dominican “dreamers” to the repatriation of capital under the just-signed U.S. tax bill. Despite that, the current Dominican government is being accused of bending over backwards to accommodate its powerful neighbor to the north. Dominican President Medina, who was humiliated when Trump declined to meet with him last October, “wants the Trump family to invest in tourism in our country, and for that has forced the Minister of Tourism to change the rules” and allow high-rises on the beach in Cap Cana and Punta Cana, claims Vega, the former Dominican ambassador. Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM .MetroP HD '© % 2;:57 AM In a hard-hitting recent column for a local newspaper, Vega wrote, “In order to convince Mr. Trump, whose presidential initiatives have caused us so much pain, to lend us his name (not his money) on 20-story buildings, our own president has modified the construction norms which have been responsible for the success of our tourism industry.” Vega also claimed that the island’s lobbyists in Washington, who are closely tied to Trump, seem to have a dual agenda and have nudged the Trump Organization to invest in the island. Brian Ballard, whose firm Ballard Partners signed a one-year contract worth $900,000 last year to lobby for the island, is a longtime friend of Trump’s. He worked as the Trump Organization’s lobbyist in Florida for years before becoming that state’s finance chairman for the Trump campaign- Since setting up Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM AV u :39%'2:58'AM m&\ V shop, Ballard has hired other Trump associates, including Susie Wiles and Dan McFaul. Wiles spearheaded Trump’s victory in Florida at the height of the primary, calling herself the state’s “senior strategist” for the Trump campaign, and McFaul was a key member of Trump’s transition team, vetting nominees for Pentagon and intelligence positions. Metropv^D":1 r.u* WM(4 (SE Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Another of Ballard’s hires was Otto Reich, a former Reagan-era official who gained notoriety for his lobbying efforts on behalf of the contras in Nicaragua. The longtime foreign policy expert traveled to Santo Domingo last spring to have lunch with business groups, including the powerful association of hotel owners, telling them that President Trump has a strong interest in tourism and greatly values the tourism sector of the economy, industry sources tell Fast Company. Reich, who says his representation of the Dominican Republic ended in October, clarifies: “I did not speak on behalf of President Trump, whether about hotels or any other issue, since I have never spoken with the President.” Ballard strongly denies Vega’s claim, writing to Fast Company in an email: “Sorry. I have nothing to do with it. Fake news even in the DR!” (He included a_ Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM i/ietroR1 ;- ^ smiley-face emoji at the end of the comment.) The country’s tourism minister also flatly denied that the Trump Organization had anything to do with the height-increase proposal, though he refused to answer over a dozen requests for comment. Vega now says that he was misinformed about the exact role of the Trump Organization, clarifying that the country’s tourism minister used the name of the Trumps to pressure the private sector into supporting the proposal “and not because they have decided to invest.” He notes that President Medina is torn between pleasing Trump, since the United States wields a great deal of influence over its small neighbor, and his constituents, who have been offended by Trump’s comments about immigrants. iW I Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM ; Metro'&.^») •:)£ -.all-' Painter notes that it’s also an ethics problem for the Dominican Republic, saying, “But to have U.S. public officials, as opposed to just U.S. companies, causing foreign governments to behave this way-in part to ingratiate themselves with our president-is very disturbing. The message is that you should destroy your environment for the benefit of the Trump organization as a way to get your country off the White House ‘s-thole list.'” This story has been updated. You Might Also Like: How President Trump Complicated The Sale Of His Most Lucrative Overseas Property Amid Net Neutrality Debate, Biggest ISPs Spent At Least $26.3 Million On Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM PRESS RELEASE FOLLOWING MAGAZINE ARTICLE IN REQUIRED UNIFORMITY Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM mmm® s/ Trump lobbyists fight over Dominican Republic; Mar-ALago Matron versus Wrestling Promoter for U.S. Ambassador; ☆ Venezuela puts out hit order on Embassy candidate; Memo Wars explodes on DOJ website, mbox \ Benjamin Lagerstrom 4s*. : to press, bcc: letters, nycel s, a... Feb 8 View details For immediate Release: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC NEWS Diplomatic Smackdown! Trump lobbyists battle over job as U.S. Ambassador in The Dominican Republic. Mar-A-Lago Matron versus Bronx Wrestling Promoter in fight to the finish. Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM SrSfKTLB? y**M59?Am "Memo Wars" explodes before Justice Department as Venezuela puts out hit on Embassy candidate. Benjamin Irish, individual lobbyist for Dominican Republic to propose $500 million dollar realistic economic recovery program using Dominican hard assets and private companies. "No more dirty oil in violation of international law." ryan.uyehara@mail.house.gov carley.frame@mail.house.gov andrew.tharp@mail.house.gov james.burchfield@maii.house.gov sarah.trister@mail.house.gov sid.ravishanker@mail.house.gov molly.daire.coie@mail.house.gov brandon.white@mail.house.gov katherineanne.russo@maif.house.gov joshua.cohen@mail.house.gov tiffany.howard2@mail.house.gov, jason.steinbaum@maii.house.gov valeria.carranza@mail.house.gov daniel.bleiberg@rnaif.house.gov sarah.mifler@maii.house.gov guido.weiss@maii.house.gov chelsea.cueliar@mail.house.gov gabrielle.gould@mail.house.gov matt.mcmurray2@mail.house.gov zach.siiberman@maii.house.gov corey.jacobson@mail.house.gov sarah.mifler@mail.house.gov Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM SP i brandon.batch@mail.house.gov chad.yeiinski@maii.house.gov paul.behrends@mail.house.gov corey.schrodt@mail.house.gov antoella.davalos@mail.house.gov blair.rotert@maii.house.gov jessica.schwartz@maii.house.gov mark;orneil@maif.house.gov don.macdonald@mail.house.gov sadaf.khan@maii.house.gov piero.tozzi@maii.house.gov iina.dakheel@mail.house.gov erica.nordan@maii.house.gov ciay.boggs@mail.house.gov rachei.wagley@mail.house.gov tayior.andreae@maii.house.gov james.walsh@rhaii.house.gov sara.matar@maii.house.gov ambar_bland@barrasso.senate.gov algene_sajery@foreign,senate.gov ana_yeiverton@coons.senate.gov joe_curtsinger@corkersenate.gov louie_reckford@merkiey.senate.gov vernon_robinson@hsgac.senate.gov tyler_brace@portman.senate.gov chris_socha@risch.senate.gov roberuzara te@rubio.senate.gov naz_durakogiu@shaheen.senate.gov matthew_padiila@tomudail.senate.gov brad_bowmah@young.senate.gov david_seyferth@murphy.senate.gov Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM <« smses Benjamin Lagerstrom, known also as Benjamin Irish, a 6'3" wrestling promoter who carries a black baseball bat with the word AMBITION printed on it, and is variously a writer, actor, producer and boxing manager, is white hot in The Dominican Republic, but not for a sports or entertainment venture, well, at least not completely. Benjamin is somewhat of a hero in the nation, a hotbed of political activity that shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. The Dominican Republic sits in between Cuba, Puerto Rico, Key West and Venezuela. Most likely there are just three other people more famous in The Dominican Republic than Benjamin: It's President, Danilo Medina, the former U.S. Ambassador James "Wally" Brewster, and a professional wrestler named Jack Veneno (which translates into Jack Poison, in English). Benjamin managed Jack for several years, and represents him in The United States. Never before has a candidate for Ambassador run a campaign like a professional wrestling show, complete with warring factions, challenges from rivals, and videos of bodysiams and Benjamin's fans handing him a baseball bat to defeat the forces of corruption, impunity and bureaucracy during an in-ring wrestling match as a teaser for a documentary film about, you guessed it, the entire campaign... Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM s/ But wait. Ambassadors are appointed, are they not? Well, kind of. The President selects his Ambassadors, in nomination, and then they receive confirmation from The U.S. Senate, So while private U.S. citizens do not vote for an Ambassador, they do have a say, through public support, in who is confirmed. There is no true prerequisite system for the appointment of Ambassadors. And while there are solidified positions in the job, such as an Ambassador to each nation or an Ambassador to The United Nations, The President is free to appoint Ambassadors who practice outside the realm of Senate committees, such an as Ambassador to an industry or an Ambassador to a continent. Enter Robin Bernstein, a Mar-A-Lago matron, attorney, real estate salesperson and grandmother from Palm Beach, Florida. That's Benjamin's competition, and a host of characters from New York to Washington, Langley to Palm Beach, and Tallahassee to Santo Domingo stand between them and the job as Ambassador, all of it playing out in a big way through the media in The Dominican Republic. "I love Robin Bernstein." Says Benjamin. "Competition is good. Her lobbyist, Brian Ballard, did a fantastic job for both of us, because he brought so much attention to the quest that there is not one Dominican who doesn’t know... The Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM & s/ struggle in their country has received the attention of President Trump, and now they don't have to worry so much about the communists using their nation as a pawn, I mean Cuba and Venezuela." In February of 2017 Benjamin was invited to The Dominican Republic, a nation he has a rare experience as a "gringo" American living in, to sign a UNITY AGREEMENT BETWEEN NATIONS with the director of The Federation of Dominican Mayors and Municipal Leaders, Madeline Cabrera, and the acting Dominican Minister of The Exterior, Gilberto Acevedo. After arriving from Mexico City, the group signed the agreement, and sent it to Washington. The Unity Agreement is a unique document that spells out the intentions of a third world government to act outside the box and seek substantial unique and positive relations with The United States. "I sat in the Dominican Ambassador's house in D.C., they were concerned. Concerned about their economy, concerned about paying their IMF interest off. Just the interest. They told me Obama shut the phone lines to Washington, and that they could not get the attention of President Trump. I told them they needed to do something unique, that Trump wasn't going to be moved by the same old debt piling nonsense, with no end in sight." Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Then Venezuela came about. Benjamin had . predicted to The Dominican Government that their failure to repair the corruption within their nation would result in it becoming "the next Venezuela." As Caracas began to fall and Nicholas Maduro began to transform himself into a modern day Hitler, he looked upon The Dominican Republic as a way-station for black market exports. Benjamin immediately went on the offensive. He took time on television and social media in Latin America to call for the Venezuelan military to overthrow Maduro, and negotiated with Dominican officials to deny Maduro entry into their country, which garnished a successful result at the time. "Maduro wanted to run there like Chavez did, but that would have been a violation of The Unity Agreement. The agreement calls for full support of U.S. policy. We don't harbor genocidal dictators. As an American I found it insulting." Following this savior fare with principles of The Dominican Government, some of them Benjamin represents, The Venezuelan Government issued a news alert calling for capital punishment against Benjamin, imposing his picture side-by-side with a photograph of a U.S. Navy commander and stating they were one in the same. "I love it." Said Benjamin. "Worst intelligence service the world has ever seen. Very pathetic." As Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM 'mMlliiiis® aaswi-vs- if hype for a wrestling match, Benjamin posted an expose of Maduro on his Dominican social media sites (also viewed in Venezuela), which have had over three million views since 2015, the majority of them in The Dominican Republic. The piece showed how Maduro was suing to have his assets unfrozen in The U.S. Federal Courts, how his family was busted in Haiti with a plane full of guns and drugs headed for the U.S., and discussed his connections to Cuba, Haiti and the funding of guerrilla forces to muscle communist ideologies in The Dominican Republic. "They are giving the Haitians guns and military training, and telling them The Dominican Republic is their land. They are flying Dominican officials to Cuba and telling them they will load the nation up with cash and oil, it's all garbage." Claims Benjamin. In May of 2017, after Benjamin intervened in a clash between the Dominican opposition group La Mareha Verde (who he claims is funded in part by New York Democrats with communist Cuban sympathies) and The Dominican National Police, he received confirmation from The White House that he was being considered for the job. This flipped Robin Bernstein's wig. In June of 2017, after several phone calls with a Florida lobbyist who emphatically claimed Bernstein had been nominated by Trump (although at the time such was not the case), the Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM MetfbrR (§) mmm. Bernstein camp took action, with a series of news articles in, of all places, outlets like Gossip.com and The Palm Beach Post, proclaiming Trump had appointed her the Ambassador at Mar-A-Lago in the days prior to Benjamin signing The Unity Agreement. "Will Robin be Ambassador? Maybe." Benjamin says. "But will she keep it? That's the question. The Domincian Republic is not Disneyworld. I just don't think she has the killer instinct that you need in a place like that. She would be a better Ambassador to Monaco." \ "No sweat, nobody slandered me. I am not the Jerry Springer Show." Says Benjamin, "l am happy they did it, because I started getting all this emotional feedback from The Dominican Government. They actually thought they had a say in who gets appointed U.S. Ambassador to their country, that they were involved in the process. Incredible." Sure sounds like the Jerry Springer show... Jerry! Jerry! Jerry! "But I had to ask myself," Benjamin continued; "If they told me the phone lines had been cut off to Washington, why would I believe they had their own people inside the U.S. Embassy? Then they showed me." Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Benjamin claims the former Ambassador James "Wally” Brewster left behind a band of U.S. Democrats in the Santo Domingo Embassy. They are such amateur night." Says Ben. "They sent their dirty delegates to Santo Domingo to The Presidential Palace with Brewster to have a temper tantrum over my visiting the country with a New York Mayoral Candidate who was proposing an amendment to sanctuary cities that would restore Federal Funds to New York. The Dominican Government still believes New York Democrats have sway inside The White House, and that the they will always run the U.S. Embassy. This argument spilled over into The Dominican Day Parade, but whatever, The Dominicans finally got the message that the only person who can install an Ambassador in Santo Domingo is President Trump. They thought they would be able to coax me into negotiations with U.S senators for positions inside the Embassy." Benjamin claims in response to this nonsense he took Dominican officials to Washington "and gave them hell." hie says he brought them to The Dominican Ambassador's residence and explained there would be less money left for them to blow after International aide cuts, reiterated that Venezuela was becoming the #1 target in the world for sanctions, and then took them to The U.S. Supreme Court. "It was great. They thought they were going to be arrested. I brought them to Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM :MetroR © s/ show them my' favorite exhibit there, about the gangster Al Capone. Capone asked how much it would cost for to buy his way out of the place. The judge told him The Supreme Court is not for sale.’ I turned and told these stunned bureaucrats from Santo Domingo 'If I'm Ambassador, The U.S. Embassy is not for sale.' They almost dropped dead." Some Dominican officials who signed the agreement were quick to claim The Unity Agreement was not valid, despite their signing it in such a public fashion, which included their posting it on social media and discussing it at public events throughout the nation. Nevertheless, after Secretary of State Miguel Vargas went on Dominican television stating his concern over the nation not having an Ambassador, those same principles continued to send delegates to New York to ask for money for local Dominican causes. After reviewing a proposal by the firm Ballard and Associates of Tallahassee, Florida, which suggests five and a half billion dollars in finance deals for The Dominican Republic, Benjamin balked. "It’s the same thing every other nation is proposing. It's fantasy land crap. I'm proposing a hard asset license deal of $500-550 million dollars, a realistic proposal that creates an environment Fortune 500 companies will be Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM OiT.AM comfortable operating, not some over the moon, delusional fantasy that Middle Eastern tennis resort moguls are going to build landfill islands shaped like palm trees off the coast, complete with mosques and Venezuelan jewelers and pump billions into a Catholic nation." As the battle for the U.S. Embassy continues, the people of The Dominican Republic continue to support Benjamin, knowing the nation is at it's greatest crossroads, and nobody is driving the car. The Domincian Republic needs a leader" Says Benjamin. "Somebody who will smackdown the communists and islamist extremists just south of Florida.'' This information is distributed under the behalf of The Dominican Government Minister of The Exterior; Further information is available at The United States Department of Justice, Washington, D.C, www.MiEmbajador.corn 7 W D> Mail Delivery Subsystem to me Feb 8 View details Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/22/2018 4:52:51 PM