A Florida judge on Monday has dismissed the money laundering charges against Alex Saab, the great Chavismo business operator in recent years and the alleged front man of the president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro. After some media published snapshots of the Venezuelan nationalized Colombian during the first hearing on October 18, today’s hearing that could be followed via Zoom was closed to the press.
Before the charges against Saab were read this Monday, the hearing was postponed to next November 15, to allow the businessman to meet for the first time in person with his lawyer after the mandatory quarantine he had to comply with due to covid-19 at get to the US
The billionaire landed on October 16 in Miami from Cape Verde after being detained in that African archipelago for 16 months. The extradition began a judicial process with an uncertain ending, where the collaboration of the businessman will be key to see if the investigation reaches the Miraflores Palace itself. The US authorities suspect that Saab has the key to where Maduro and his entourage hide their fortune.
The 49-year-old businessman had to say whether or not he pleaded guilty to seven crimes of money laundering and one of conspiracy to launder money. Saab presented to the court on Monday a waiver to attend that next hearing in person or by videoconference, taking advantage of its right, reports the agency France Presse.
The crime of conspiracy to launder money that Saab now faces can carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. The prosecution has justified the withdrawal of charges in the commitment of the North American authorities with those of Cape Verde that Saab would only be charged with a crime to comply with the law of the archipelago that sets a maximum of years in prison. This is how the exiled Venezuelan journalist Roberto Deniz expresses it in his Twitter account, who explains that part of the agreement with Cape Verde was to dismiss cases in order not to exceed the maximum penalty of that African country in the United States.
According to the US indictment, Saab and his partner, the Colombian fugitive Álvaro Pulido, transferred 350 million dollars obtained illegally in Venezuela to launder them through the United States.
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source https://pledgetimes.com/us-judge-dismisses-seven-of-eight-charges-against-alex-saab/
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