A Venezuelan media tycoon is charged in a bribery conspiracy in Florida
A Venezuelan media tycoon has been charged in federal court in Florida for what authorities say was his role in laundering money in a conspiracy to siphon more than $1 billion from Venezuela's state oil company
MIAMI — A Venezuelan media tycoon-turned-fugitive was charged Wednesday in federal court in Florida for what authorities say was his role in laundering money in a conspiracy to siphon more than $1 billion from the oil company owned by the South American country’s government.
A federal grand jury in Miami returned an indictment charging Raul Gorrin Belisario in an alleged scheme to launder funds he obtained from Petróleos de Venezuela S.A, also known as PDVSA, in exchange of hundreds of millions of dollars in bribery payments to Venezuelan officials, the U.S. Justice Department said in a press release.
Gorrin, 56, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison. He was previously charged in two other federal cases and is already considered a fugitive by the U.S.
Gorrin did not immediately respond to an AP request for comment.
“Gorrin’s alleged conduct enriched corrupt government officials and exploited the U.S. financial system to facilitate these crimes," said Principal Deputy Assistant General Nicole Argentieri. «The United States is not a safe haven for carrying out money laundering schemes or hiding criminal proceeds.”
Gorrin is among an elite group known in Venezuela as “boliburgueses,” people who amassed huge fortunes during the late President Hugo Chavez ’s government. Their wealth has since drawn scrutiny from U.S. prosecutors, who have tied many to shady real estate deals, yacht purchases and other transactions meant to hide their
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