US accuses Venezuelan media tycoon of money laundering | Corruption News

Globovision owner Raul Gorrin Belisario allegedly participated in a $1.2 billion scheme to launder corrupt oil money.

The United States has charged a Venezuelan media mogul with ties to President Nicolas Maduro over laundering hundreds of millions of dollars.

On Wednesday, the Justice Department announced the indictment of Raul Gorrin Belisario, the owner of Venezuela’s pro-government news channel Globovision.

It said Gorrin participated in a $1.2 billion scheme “to launder funds he corruptly obtained from Venezuela’s state-owned and state-controlled energy company Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA), and in return received hundreds of millions.” paying bribes to Venezuelan officials.”

Still at large, he faces up to 20 years in prison if arrested and convicted.

“Gorrin’s alleged conduct enriched corrupt government officials and exploited the U.S. financial system to facilitate these crimes,” said Nicole M. Argentieri, Assistant Attorney General and Chief of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

It is not the first time that Gorrin, who owns a villa in Miami, has found himself in the crosshairs of the US justice system.

In 2020, Gorrin was placed on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Most Wanted List after being charged with money laundering and violating the country’s Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

In this case, Gorrin is accused of bribing high-ranking Venezuelan officials to provide the government with profitable exchange rates. The bribes allegedly included millions in wire transfers and money for private jets, yachts, luxury real estate, luxury watches and a clothing line.

The crimes fell under U.S. jurisdiction because Gorrin and associates planned the bribe payments from South Florida and made some transfers to bank accounts in Florida and New York, the indictment says.

Gorrin evaded arrest at the time and was later seen alive in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, Univision reported.

The US government – a strong critic of Venezuela’s Maduro – has long targeted senior Venezuelan officials whom it accuses of corruption.

In September, it imposed sanctions on 12 Maduro-allied officials who it said were involved in fraud in the disputed presidential election, in which the government declared Maduro the winner.

However, the opposition claims the results show their candidate actually won.