MIAMI – A federal jury within the Southern District of Florida has convicted the previous Nationwide Treasurer of Venezuela and her husband for his or her roles in a billion-dollar foreign money change, bribery, and cash laundering scheme.
Claudia Patricia Diaz Guillen, 49, and her partner, Adrian Jose Velasquez Figueroa, 43, each Venezuelan residents, had been extradited from Madrid, Spain, earlier this 12 months.
In response to courtroom paperwork and proof offered at trial, Diaz and Velasquez accepted over $100 million in bribes from co-conspirator Raul Gorrin Belisario, 54, a Venezuelan billionaire businessman who owned Globovision information community. Gorrin paid bribes to Diaz, together with by her husband Velasquez, with a view to get hold of entry to buy bonds from the Venezuela Nationwide Treasury at a good change charge, leading to a whole lot of thousands and thousands of {dollars} in revenue. The conspiracy concerned bulk money hidden in cardboard packing containers, offshore shell corporations, Swiss financial institution accounts, and worldwide wire transfers despatched by Gorrin.
“Sadly, individuals in positions of energy and public belief generally break that belief and use their energy for egocentric achieve,” mentioned U.S. Legal professional Juan Antonio Gonzalez for the Southern District of Florida. “We are going to stay vigilant in our battle towards corruption and prosecute responsible events to the fullest extent.”
That sentiment is shared by the Division of Justice’s Legal Division.
“Claudia Patricia Diaz Guillen and Adrian Jose Velasquez Figueroa laundered bribes Diaz acquired because the Venezuelan Nationwide Treasurer,” mentioned Assistant Legal professional Normal Kenneth A. Well mannered, Jr. of the Justice Division’s Legal Division. “Diaz abused her place as a public official to line her pockets with greater than 100 million {dollars}, which she and her co-conspirators spent on personal jets and yachts and laundered by the U.S. monetary system. Whether or not at residence or overseas, the Legal Division and its companions are dedicated to vigorously combating bribery and holding corrupt officers accountable.”
“This verdict sends a transparent message to international kleptocrats like Diaz and Velasquez Figueroa, who’re responsible of theft of billions of {dollars} utilizing their positions of belief for their very own private achieve” mentioned Particular Agent in Cost Michael E. Buckley of the Homeland Safety Investigations (HSI) Miami Area Workplace. “HSI Miami’s El Dorado Job Pressure South will work tirelessly to pursue these people and organizations who’re concerned on this illicit follow and produce them to justice.”
Gorrin was charged by indictment in August 2018 and stays charged within the superseding indictment as a co-conspirator in the identical cash laundering scheme. He’s presently a fugitive residing in Venezuela.
Diaz and Velasquez had been every discovered responsible of 1 depend of conspiring to commit cash laundering and one depend of cash laundering. Velasquez additionally was convicted of a second depend of cash laundering. Diaz and Velasquez are scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 21, 2023, and face a most potential penalty of 20 years in jail on every depend of conviction. A federal district courtroom decide will decide any sentence after contemplating the U.S. Sentencing Pointers and different statutory components.
HSI Miami, HSI Houston, HSI Boston, FBI Miami, and the Federal Deposit Insurance coverage Company Workplace of Inspector Normal (FDIC-OIG) investigated the case. The Justice Division’s Workplace of Worldwide Affairs offered vital help on this matter. The division appreciates the numerous cooperation offered by authorities in Spain and Switzerland.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kurt Lunkenheimer and Joshua Paster for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Paul Hayden and Michael Culhane Harper of the Legal Division’s Fraud Part are prosecuting the case.
Associated courtroom paperwork and knowledge could also be discovered on the web site of the District Court docket for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.