Businessman Alex Saab pleads guilty to money laundering in US — Euronews
Colombian businessman Alex Saab, described as a close ally of ousted Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, pleaded guilty in a US court on Tuesday to a money laundering charge. The case is linked to an alleged bribery scheme to obtain lucrative government contracts in Venezuela, Euronews reports.
Terms of the agreement
Under the plea agreement, 54-year-old Saab agreed to cooperate with federal investigations in the United States. He must also forfeit $195 million obtained through the corruption scheme.
The money laundering charge carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison. At the same time, prosecutors agreed to recommend a sentence at the lower end of the applicable range and seek a further reduction if Saab’s cooperation proves useful. This includes assistance in investigations involving four co-defendants whose names have not been disclosed.
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Detention and pardon
Saab was already charged in the United States in 2019. In 2020, he was detained in Cabo Verde during a refueling stop. At the time, Venezuelan authorities said he was on a high-level humanitarian mission to Iran.
In 2023, then-US President Joe Biden pardoned Saab in exchange for the release of several US citizens imprisoned in Venezuela. According to Euronews, this was part of the Biden administration’s effort to persuade Maduro to hold free presidential elections. Republicans and senior federal law enforcement officials criticized the decision. Law enforcement authorities also opened new investigations into possible offenses not covered by the limited pardon.
