Alex Saab, a former Venezuelan official and former aide to ex-President Nicolás Maduro, has pleaded guilty to money laundering charges in the United States.
The case against Saab has drawn significant attention, as Maduro and his wife, former First Lady Cilia Flores, are scheduled to stand trial next year in New York on weapons and drug charges, which they both deny.
Under the terms of his plea agreement, Saab, 54, is required to forfeit $195 million (£145 million) and to cooperate fully with US prosecutors. He faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
Maduro and Flores were captured by US forces during a raid in Caracas in January. Saab’s guilty plea has fuelled speculation that he may provide testimony against Maduro during the upcoming trial.
Saab entered his plea on Tuesday in a Miami, Florida court, despite having previously committed to contesting the charges.
He was extradited to the US in May by Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed power following Maduro’s removal.
Saab, a Colombian-born businessman, was accused of embezzling funds from a government welfare programme designed to address food insecurity among Venezuelans, and channeling a portion of the stolen money into US bank accounts.
Venezuela has endured chronic shortages of food and medicine amid years of political turmoil and economic decline.
“Criminals like Alex Saab, who stole from the Venezuelan people and sought to exploit and misuse American financial institutions to fund illicit activities, will be held accountable by this FBI,” said FBI Director Kash Patel.
The plea agreement does not specifically reference the case against Maduro in New York.
However, it stipulates that Saab “will not protect any person or identity through false information or omission”.
This marks the second US criminal case brought against Saab.
In 2020, he was extradited to face money laundering charges related to allegations that he had siphoned approximately $350 million from Venezuelan state coffers.
However, former US President Joe Biden granted him clemency in 2023 as part of a prisoner exchange.