Key Figure in Venezuela's Deals with Iran Arrested while En Route to Tehran
Alex Saab, who was indicted by the US on corruption charges, is reported to play a central role in shady large-scale business deals as well as ties between Venezuela and Iran
IsraelDefense
| 15/06/2020
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Photo: Reuters
A businessman who has been indicted by the US on charges of being the primary money launderer for the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was arrested on June 12 while en route to the Iranian capital.
Alex Saab, a Colombian national, was detained by law enforcement officials when the private jet he was using made a refueling stop in the island nation of Cape Verde.
A spokeswoman for the US Department of Justice said the businessman was arrested pursuant to an Interpol red notice issued with respect to the indictment. She did not elaborate.
According to AP, US officials believe Saab holds many secrets on how Maduro, the Venezuelan leader's family and top aides allegedly siphoned off millions of dollars in government contracts. The report also quoted an unidentified source as saying the businessman was believed to have been headed to the Iranian capital to negotiate the exchange of Iranian gasoline for Venezuelan gold.
Saab is suspected of helping Maduro buy gasoline and supplies from Iran in exchange for gold in a deal enabling both countries to evade U.S. sanctions. According to Venezuelan opposition figures, the shipments of Iranian oil sent to Venezuela in May were purchased with gold and by shell companies controlled by Saab.
On June 13, the Venezuelan government protested the detainment of Saab, claiming he was on a “humanitarian mission” to help the South American country fight the coronavirus pandemic, and that he has diplomatic immunity as an "agent of a sovereign government." It said it would take all diplomatic and legal actions needed for Saab's release.
Saab was indicted in 2019 by the US Justice Department on money laundering charges, including the alleged diversion of about $350 million to overseas accounts. He has also been sanctioned by the Trump administration for allegedly using shell companies to hide massive profits from food contracts.
“Saab engaged with Maduro insiders to run a wide-scale corruption network they callously used to exploit Venezuela’s starving population,” US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said regarding the imposition of sanctions. “They use food as a form of social control, to reward political supporters and punish opponents, all the while pocketing hundreds of millions of dollars through a number of fraudulent schemes.”
The Colombian attorney general's office said earlier in the week that it froze assets equivalent to nearly $9.3 million belonging to Saab, who it said is being investigated over alleged money laundering and other crimes.
The Venezuelan opposition hailed the arrest of the businessman.
“Colombian boss Alex Saab is the main figurehead of the dictatorship; he manages opaque [Venezuelan state oil company] PDVSA businesses, gold, food, alliance with Iran, relations with cartels and protects ill-gotten money from Maduro and [Maduro’s wife] Cilia Flores,” said Julio Borges, a top opposition figure, in a Twitter posting.
"His capture is a hard blow to the structure of the regime, it shows that Venezuelans are not alone and that there is no future with Maduro, not even for those who support him,” he said.
However, it remains unclear whether Saab will be turned over to the American law enforcement authorities because there is no extradition treaty between Cape Verde and the US.
Alex Saab, who was indicted by the US on corruption charges, is reported to play a central role in shady large-scale business deals as well as ties between Venezuela and Iran
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Photo: Reuters
A businessman who has been indicted by the US on charges of being the primary money launderer for the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was arrested on June 12 while en route to the Iranian capital.
Alex Saab, a Colombian national, was detained by law enforcement officials when the private jet he was using made a refueling stop in the island nation of Cape Verde.
A spokeswoman for the US Department of Justice said the businessman was arrested pursuant to an Interpol red notice issued with respect to the indictment. She did not elaborate.
According to AP, US officials believe Saab holds many secrets on how Maduro, the Venezuelan leader's family and top aides allegedly siphoned off millions of dollars in government contracts. The report also quoted an unidentified source as saying the businessman was believed to have been headed to the Iranian capital to negotiate the exchange of Iranian gasoline for Venezuelan gold.
Saab is suspected of helping Maduro buy gasoline and supplies from Iran in exchange for gold in a deal enabling both countries to evade U.S. sanctions. According to Venezuelan opposition figures, the shipments of Iranian oil sent to Venezuela in May were purchased with gold and by shell companies controlled by Saab.
On June 13, the Venezuelan government protested the detainment of Saab, claiming he was on a “humanitarian mission” to help the South American country fight the coronavirus pandemic, and that he has diplomatic immunity as an "agent of a sovereign government." It said it would take all diplomatic and legal actions needed for Saab's release.
Saab was indicted in 2019 by the US Justice Department on money laundering charges, including the alleged diversion of about $350 million to overseas accounts. He has also been sanctioned by the Trump administration for allegedly using shell companies to hide massive profits from food contracts.
“Saab engaged with Maduro insiders to run a wide-scale corruption network they callously used to exploit Venezuela’s starving population,” US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said regarding the imposition of sanctions. “They use food as a form of social control, to reward political supporters and punish opponents, all the while pocketing hundreds of millions of dollars through a number of fraudulent schemes.”
The Colombian attorney general's office said earlier in the week that it froze assets equivalent to nearly $9.3 million belonging to Saab, who it said is being investigated over alleged money laundering and other crimes.
The Venezuelan opposition hailed the arrest of the businessman.
“Colombian boss Alex Saab is the main figurehead of the dictatorship; he manages opaque [Venezuelan state oil company] PDVSA businesses, gold, food, alliance with Iran, relations with cartels and protects ill-gotten money from Maduro and [Maduro’s wife] Cilia Flores,” said Julio Borges, a top opposition figure, in a Twitter posting.
"His capture is a hard blow to the structure of the regime, it shows that Venezuelans are not alone and that there is no future with Maduro, not even for those who support him,” he said.
However, it remains unclear whether Saab will be turned over to the American law enforcement authorities because there is no extradition treaty between Cape Verde and the US.
