By Jerry Fisayo-Bambi with AP
Published on 15/09/2026 – 6:22 GMT+2 • Updated 6:27
Alex Saab, a close ally of the deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, is scheduled to enter a guilty plea on Tuesday in a federal prosecution accusing him of bribing officials to secure lucrative contracts for importing food during a period of severe economic hardship in Venezuela.
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Deported in May by Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez under pressure from the United States—which has targeted the Colombian-born businessman for over a decade—Saab faces a single count of money laundering. The charge is tied to an alleged conspiracy to establish shell companies, falsify shipping records, and embezzle funds from government contracts meant for importing food from Colombia and Mexico.
According to court records, Saab is set to appear before Judge Kathleen Williams in Miami on Tuesday for a change of plea hearing.
The specific terms of the plea agreement were not immediately disclosed, and Saab’s attorney, Neil Schuster, declined to comment. However, prosecutors allege that Saab and his associates expanded their corrupt influence deep within the Maduro regime, gaining access to billions of dollars in revenue from the state-run oil company, PDVSA.
The indictment accuses Saab and others of establishing a network of shell companies to bribe top Venezuelan officials who controlled contracts under the CLAP program. Created by Maduro to distribute basic staples—such as rice, corn flour, and cooking oil—to citizens facing rampant hyperinflation and a collapsing currency, the program was allegedly used to siphon off massive bribes.
The 54-year-old businessman was initially charged in 2019 during the first Trump administration and was subsequently arrested during a refueling stop in Cape Verde. Venezuelan authorities claimed the trip was part of a high-level humanitarian mission to Iran.
However, President Joe Biden pardoned Saab in 2023 as part of a swap for the release of several detained American citizens in Venezuela. The deal, which was part of a failed effort by the Biden administration to incentivize Maduro into holding free elections, faced severe criticism from Republicans and federal law enforcement. Investigators quickly began looking into other alleged activities by Saab that fell outside the scope of the narrowly tailored pardon.
US officials have long described Saab as Maduro’s “bag man” and may call upon him to serve as a key witness against the former leader. Maduro is currently awaiting trial in Manhattan on drug charges following his capture by US military forces in January.
Saab’s prosecution unfolds amid shifting US-Venezuela relations
Saab remained relatively obscure in Venezuela until his initial arrest in 2020, after which the Maduro government mobilized immense public resources campaigning for his release.
Rodríguez, who was then serving as Maduro’s vice president, led an international campaign portraying Saab as an “innocent Venezuelan diplomat” illegally “kidnapped” by Washington.
However, following Maduro’s capture, Rodríguez distanced herself from Saab, dismissing him from her cabinet and removing his role as the primary conduit for foreign investment in the country.
Saab’s prosecution coincides with the Trump administration’s efforts to overhaul relations with Venezuela, focusing on accessing the nation’s vast oil reserves.
Earlier this month, Trump announced what he termed the “biggest oil deal in history” with Venezuela. The agreement, a partnership with oil entrepreneur Alejandro Betancourt, grants Washington a stake and access to low-cost crude shipments from fields with an estimated potential of 65 billion barrels.
While Saab amassed a significant fortune through government contracts, his value to Maduro grew as US sanctions compelled Venezuela to conduct much of its oil sales and foreign trade outside of Western financial systems.
