Colombian businessman faces US court over $3.1m money laundering tied to Antigua

Alvaro Pulido Vargas appeared in a Florida federal court on Tuesday on money-laundering charges. Prosecutors allege millions were transferred through Antiguan bank accounts.

Colombian suspect in Florida court over Antigua-linked money transfers

Colombian businessman Alvaro Pulido Vargas appeared before a federal court in Florida on Tuesday, October 13, facing US money-laundering charges connected to alleged Venezuelan bribery schemes, antigua.news reports.

The 62-year-old faces two separate indictments, issued in 2019 and 2021 respectively, according to the US Justice Department.

The 2021 indictment is the case with a direct Antigua and Barbuda connection. Prosecutors allege that contracts to supply food and medicine to Venezuela were secured through bribes, and that contract prices were artificially inflated to benefit those involved.

Two transfers from accounts in Antigua and Barbuda to a South Florida account are identified in the indictment: one of approximately US$2.5 million and another of approximately US$630,000. Combined, the transactions totalled roughly US$3.13 million. The indictment does not name the originating banks in Antigua and Barbuda.

The earlier 2019 indictment alleges that Pulido Vargas, together with Alex Saab, used fraudulent import documents and paid bribes to obtain payments through Venezuela's government-controlled currency exchange system.

The charges remain allegations. Pulido Vargas is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Source: Google News AG — Crime