DominicanToday.com - A National District on Friday upheld the 10 year prison sentence prison against former Progreso bank president Pedro Castillo, convicted of defrauding that entity out of more than RD$12 billion.

Castillo becomes the fourth president of a major bank to be convicted of embezzlement and sentenced to prison this year, after Ramon Baez Figueroa (Baninter), Manuel A. Pellerano (Bancredito) and Leonel Almonte (Universal).

First Appellate Court judges Miriam German, Katia Miguelina Jiménez and Manuel Hernandez also lowered from RD$12 billion to RD$45 million the fines and damages levied against Castillo.

The prosecution and the Progreso bank as plaintiff had requested that Castillo spend 10 years in jail.