Alex Saab, a key ally of Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro, is expected to plead guilty Tuesday in a federal money laundering case. Saab is scheduled to appear before Judge Kathleen Williams in Miami for a change of plea hearing, according to court records. The specifics of the plea were not immediately available.
Saab, 54, was deported in May by Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez, following pressure from the United States. U.S. authorities had been investigating the Colombian-born businessman for over a decade. He faced a single count of money laundering, accused of conspiring to create shell companies, falsify shipping records, and skim funds from government contracts for importing food.
He was initially charged in 2019 during the Trump administration. His arrest occurred during a refueling stop in Cape Verde, an event Venezuela's government characterized as part of a humanitarian mission to Iran.
In 2023, President Joe Biden pardoned Saab as part of a deal that led to the release of several Americans imprisoned in Venezuela. This exchange, intended to encourage Maduro to hold free presidential elections, drew criticism from Republicans and federal law enforcement officials. These officials subsequently initiated new investigations into Saab for alleged crimes not covered by the specific terms of the pardon.
U.S. officials have frequently described Saab as Maduro's "bag man." He could potentially be called as a witness against Maduro, who faces drug charges in Manhattan following his January capture by U.S. military forces.
The current prosecution and the U.S. approach to Venezuela are developing as the Biden administration re-evaluates its relationship with the country, with a focus on its oil reserves. Recently, President Biden announced a significant oil deal involving Venezuela, which includes the U.S. government acquiring ownership in a company with rights to drill in oil fields estimated to hold 65 billion barrels.