Colombian fugitive arrested over alleged Venezuelan corruption scheme

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 12 Oct, 07:36 · Archive

A Colombian national accused of exploiting Venezuelan government food and housing programmes has been arrested in the United States.

Alvaro Pulido Vargas, a 62-year-old Colombian national, has been arrested by US federal authorities on accusations of laundering billions of dollars connected to Venezuelan government corruption schemes. He was detained during a Homeland Security Task Force operation and is scheduled to appear in federal court in South Florida on Tuesday, 13 October.

Pulido Vargas faces two separate criminal cases involving the alleged exploitation of Venezuelan government programmes meant to provide essential supplies and housing to the country's poor. The 2019 indictment centres on a scheme involving a Venezuelan government housing contract, in which prosecutors allege he and Colombian businessman Alex Saab obtained a contract to construct low-income housing but instead exploited the government-controlled exchange rate system through fraudulent import documents. The 2021 indictment involves the alleged exploitation of CLAP, a Venezuelan government-controlled programme for the importation and distribution of food and medicine, with prosecutors saying he helped launder proceeds from approximately $1.6 billion in Venezuelan government contracts.

According to the Justice Department, Pulido Vargas, also known as German Enrique Rubio Salas, funnelled illicit profits through US banks to conceal the schemes. He was previously convicted of drug trafficking in Italy in 1997 under one of his aliases. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva stated that Pulido Vargas had shown 'blatant disregard to the Venezuelan people by corrupting government programs intended to provide critical food, medicine, and housing for personal enrichment'.

How it is being reported

• Maduro-linked fugitive nabbed over alleged scheme to cash in on Venezuelans’ basic needsA fugitive accused of getting rich off programs meant to help Venezuelans is now in U.S. custody, facing charges in a sprawling corruption scandal tied to Nicolás Maduro’s regime.New York Post · 12 Oct, 08:28
• U.S. arrests Colombian with Maduro ties on money laundering chargesFederal prosecutors announced the arrested of Alvaro Pulido Vargas on accusations of participating in multibillion-dollar money laundering schemes.UPI · 12 Oct, 07:25
• Maduro-linked fugitive nabbed over alleged scheme to cash in on Venezuelans’ basic needsAlvaro Pulido Vargas allegedly exploited Venezuela's CLAP food program and housing contracts, funneling billions through U.S. banks to hide bribes.Fox News · 12 Oct, 03:12

In this story: Alvaro Pulido Vargas · Nicolás Maduro · Alex Saab · Venezuela · United States · Colombia · Southern District of Florida · CLAP

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