An alleged fraudster from the United States has reportedly spent the last nine months in the prestigious CIMA Hospital near San Jose, where he is supposed to be in the custody of officers from Fuerza Pública, the national police force of Costa Rica. The suspect was remanded to a correctional center by a criminal court back in May of 2014.

Cyrus Anoushirvan Sepher, a 51-year old male with Iranian roots, arrived from California in May of 2014. He had an arrest warrant in Costa Rica, and thus he was promptly arrested at the Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) upon arrival. He spent a few hours in the holding cells of the Office of Judicial Investigations (Spanish initials: OIJ) before being ordered to remain in custody for nine months since he is considered a flight risk.

According to reports filed last week by Manuel Estrada of daily tabloid Diario Extra, various investors in Costa Rica have complained that Mr. Anoushirvan and an accomplice were involved in a series of fraudulent property transfers in places such as Alajuela, Guapiles, Quepos, and Santa Ana; in fact, a victim mentioned in court papers is a fellow expat from the United States, Dan Cohanarieh.

The modus operandi of the suspects has not been fully explained; however, the reports by Mr. Estrada suggest a flimflam whereby the alleged fraudsters swindled investors out of $10 million by drawing up an elaborate facade of future resort developments in Costa Rica. Notwithstanding, the property transfers were never completed as agreed, and in many cases the sellers provided financing but never received a payment.

The plaintiffs in this case have a new complaint: They believe that Mr. Anoushirvan, who has a corporate presence in Panama, has been malingering for the purpose of avoiding having to wait nine months in a detention center, and that his stay at the CIMA Hospital, which is renowned travelers who come to Costa Rica as medical tourists, will have to be paid by judicial officials.

Prosecutors have already filed a medical report that states Mr. Anoushirvan no longer needs to stay in the hospital, although he is in need of rehabilitative care, which may include wheel chair transportation and a walker. Future court hearings will determine his fitness to stand trial.