EXPOSED!

Art and Narco-Politics in America
From New York to Capitol Hill

Narco-politics is no longer confined to Latin America. It has crossed borders and infiltrated the very heart of the United States. Blood-stained money has been used to finance political campaigns under the guise of philanthropy, from immigrant communities in New York to Capitol Hill

This investigation begins with a real and unsettling story: the trajectory of Darío Oleaga, a self-proclaimed businessman and entrepreneur from San Francisco de Macorís, Dominican Republic, who settled in New York in the mid-1990s. Upon arriving in the U.S., Oleaga entered the world of drug trafficking with help from a relative, Pedro Abreu, who supplied him with a substantial quantity of cocaine to distribute in Washington Heights, away from Pedro’s street-level operations. Thus began a criminal career that, far from being disrupted by the authorities, flourished under the legal protections of the U.S. justice system.

In 1998, while still an unknown artist wandering the streets of Upper Manhattan, Darío was introduced, through Pedro, to Julio César Valdez, who would become his publicist and help lift him out of obscurity. Trained in visual arts at Altos de Chavón in the Dominican Republic, Oleaga had dreamed of opening an art gallery in Inwood. But Valdez persuaded him—and one of his drug-dealing partners—to instead invest in a more lucrative venture: a nightclub.

Umbrella, a nightlife venue, opened in 2002 and quickly turned into a commercial success. However, beyond entertainment, the nightclub evolved into the ideal base of operations for expanding the drug trade and other illicit activities. The project marked the beginning of a business empire built as a front for laundering money derived from crime.

The lessons learned at Umbrella gave Oleaga a masterclass in navigating the food and beverage industry, to the point of becoming a key figure for other members of the Dominican-American underworld seeking to open legitimate businesses to hide their illicit operations. On social media, Oleaga portrays himself as a “successful entrepreneur” and “visionary businessman,”.  However, those familiar with his inner workings know that all of his ventures are fronts for money laundering and other criminal activities.

Over time, Oleaga not only diversified his businesses but also expanded his network of influence by forging alliances with prominent Dominican figures, including a powerful labor union leader in New York, as well as politicians seeking election or re-election. Among them are municipal officials and federal lawmakers, all bound to him through a symbiotic relationship in which Oleaga claims to repay their “support” with generous financial and political favors.

This network of influence has reached the highest levels of power. Oleaga has traveled to the Dominican Republic alongside the mayor of New York, established ties with the state’s current governor, and—according to him—maintains a privileged relationship with a prominent member of the U.S. Congress. What is presented as philanthropy is, in reality, a carefully orchestrated strategy to buy access, protection, and impunity.

The protagonists of this story—drug traffickers, money launderers, and corrupt politicians—not only bring with them the tricks and schemes of their home country but also contaminate the institutions that welcomed them. They are individuals devoid of values, human scum who betray their homeland and stain the names of their hardworking compatriots. They are leeches, willing to sacrifice entire communities and stab at the heart of the country that opened its doors to them and granted them freedoms they would never have known elsewhere.

Darío Oleaga’s influence over public officials, through questionable donations and behind-the-scenes favors, reveals a troubling truth: the fragile line that separates public service from personal ambition. His ability to weave a network of corruption, stretching from the art world to the chambers of political power, reflects a meticulous strategy and a cynical understanding of the system’s weaknesses.

The consequences of such corruption are deep and far-reaching. They go beyond financial or reputational damage—they erode trust in democratic institutions, foster impunity, and perpetuate a cycle of corruption that is hard to break. Drug trafficking, enabled by money laundering, inflicts immeasurable human suffering, fueling violence, addiction, and social collapse.

This book is a bold, well-documented exposé. A deep dive into a phenomenon that threatens the foundations of democracy—from the shadows of art… to the pinnacles of power.