Alex Saab, a close ally of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, is expected to plead guilty to federal money laundering charges, involving bribery for food import contracts and skimming from government deals, a move that could significantly impact Maduro's own legal standing.
Alex Saab, a Colombian-born businessman frequently described as Nicolás Maduro's 'bag man,' is scheduled to plead guilty in Miami to a single count of money laundering. The charges stem from an alleged conspiracy to bribe Venezuelan officials, create fake companies, and falsify shipping records to secure lucrative contracts for importing food, particularly through the CLAP program for poor Venezuelans. Prosecutors also allege Saab and his associates expanded their corrupt influence to access billions of dollars in oil sales from state-run PDVSA. Saab was initially charged in 2019 and arrested in 2020, but was later pardoned by President Joe Biden in 2023 as part of a prisoner exchange deal with Venezuela. However, the narrowly tailored pardon did not cover other alleged crimes, leading to this new prosecution. U.S. officials hope Saab may serve as a character witness against Maduro, who is currently awaiting trial on drug charges. This development occurs as the Trump administration reorients its relations with Venezuela, focusing on oil reserves through new partnerships. While Maduro's government initially defended Saab as an 'innocent Venezuelan diplomat,' Vice President Delcy Rodriguez has since distanced herself from him following Maduro's capture.
