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On December 15, 2022, the former National Treasurer of Venezuela and her husband, who had been extradited from Spain earlier this year, were convicted in Florida (Southern District) for their roles in a billion-dollar currency exchange, bribery, and money laundering scheme.
According to the press release issued by the Department of Justice (U.S. Attorney’s Office - Southern District of Florida), they accepted over $100 million in bribes from a Venezuelan billionaire businessman who owned Globovision news network. The bribes were paid in order to obtain access to purchase bonds from the Venezuela National Treasury at a favorable exchange rate, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in profit. The conspiracy involved bulk cash hidden in cardboard boxes, offshore shell companies, Swiss bank accounts, and international wire transfers.
HSI Miami, HSI Houston, HSI Boston, FBI Miami, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in this matter. Authorities in Spain and Switzerland provided the US department with significant cooperation.
Press Release - Department of Justice - U.S. Attorney’s Office - Southern District of Florida https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/former-venezuelan-national-treasurer-and-husband-convicted-international-bribery-sche-0
Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash
#corruption #bribery #aml #money #moneylaundering #Venezuela #USA #Florida #Spain #Swizerland #Miami #Treasurer #OIG
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