US expects Alex Saab to plead guilty in Miami money laundering case
Colombian businessman Alex Saab, who is described as a close associate of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, is expected to plead guilty in a federal money laundering case in Miami, United States. On Tuesday, he is due to appear before US District Judge Kathleen Williams at a hearing on changing his plea in the case.
Hearing in Miami
According to Anadolu Agency, details of a possible plea agreement have not been disclosed. Saab's lawyer, Neil Schuster, declined to comment on the case.
US prosecutors allege that Saab was involved in a scheme using shell companies, falsified shipping documents, and the diversion of funds from Venezuelan state contracts for food imports from Colombia and Mexico. According to the prosecution, he used a network of companies to secure lucrative state contracts during Venezuela's severe economic crisis.
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Course of the case
In July, Saab pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him. US authorities first charged him in 2019, and he was detained in Cabo Verde in 2020 while traveling to Iran. In 2021, Saab was extradited to the United States.
In 2023, then-US President Joe Biden pardoned Saab as part of an exchange that secured the release of Americans held in Venezuela. In May, Venezuela deported him to the United States following pressure from Washington.
The US Department of Justice said Saab is charged with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
