Washington (United States) (AFP) – Alex Saab, a former Venezuelan minister and close ally of ousted president Nicolas Maduro, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to money laundering under a deal with US prosecutors, court filings showed. The Colombian-born businessman’s case has been closely watched for his potential willingness to testify against Maduro and former first lady Cilia Flores, who were seized by US forces in a January raid.
As part of the deal, filed in a Miami court, Saab has agreed to cooperate with federal investigators and forfeit $195 million criminally obtained through the money laundering scheme, among other terms, in exchange for a reduced sentence. Saab faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for the money laundering charge, but his sentence and the forfeiture amount will depend on his cooperation with US authorities.
Saab agrees to “cooperate fully” with prosecutors by “providing truthful complete information and testimony…when called upon,” the court filing said. “In addition, the Defendant agrees that he will not protect any person or entity through false information or omission,” it added. Maduro and his wife are being held in New York while awaiting trial on drug trafficking and other charges.
Venezuela’s interim authorities extradited Saab in May, and he initially pleaded not guilty before a judge on July 24. “The Defendant agrees to plead guilty to the sole count of the indictment, which charges the Defendant with Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments,” the order from the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida stated.
Saab became an active figure in Venezuelan politics under Maduro’s predecessor Hugo Chavez. He later allegedly acted as a front man and money launderer for Maduro, and in return was granted Venezuelan citizenship and a diplomatic passport. First hit by US sanctions in 2019, Saab was arrested in Cape Verde in 2020 and extradited to the United States the following year. He was released in 2023 as part of a negotiated prisoner exchange with Venezuela under then-president Joe Biden.
Saab had been appointed by Maduro as his minister of industry in 2024, but interim president Delcy Rodriguez dismissed him from all government posts shortly after taking over power in January. Rodriguez, who was Maduro’s vice president, has worked closely with US President Donald Trump’s administration as Washington exerts tight control over the South American country. She has notably ushered through reforms to open Venezuela’s prized oil sector to international investment, and signed a massive deal providing US control over a large portion of the country’s reserves.
© 2024 AFP
