Maduro ally Alex Saab pleads guilty to money laundering in US court

Former Venezuelan minister Alex Saab has changed his plea to guilty on money laundering charges in a Miami court, agreeing to cooperate with US prosecutors.

Saab guilty plea linked to Maduro drug case in New York

Alex Saab, a former Venezuelan minister and close ally of ousted president Nicolás Maduro, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to money laundering before a US court, the Jamaica Observer reports, citing a Miami court order.

Saab, who was extradited in May, had initially entered a not guilty plea before a judge on 24 July. He has since reversed that position, agreeing to cooperate with prosecutors in exchange for a reduced sentence.

"The Defendant agrees to plead guilty to the sole count of the indictment, which charges the Defendant with Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments," the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida stated.

The agreement includes the forfeiture of $195 million, a sum prosecutors allege is connected to a years-long scheme involving corruption and the diversion of funds from Venezuela's CLAP food aid programme.

Saab faces up to approximately 20 years in prison on the charge, though both his final sentence and the exact forfeiture amount will depend on the degree of his cooperation with authorities.

His case is closely tied to that of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, who face drug trafficking charges in a New York court. The couple were captured in Caracas on 3 January by US armed forces.

Source: Jamaica Observer