US Detains Colombian Man in Venezuelan Money Laundering Scheme
Álvaro Pulido accused of laundering over $2 billion connected to Venezuelan government bribery schemes.
A Colombian national, Álvaro Pulido, 62, has been arrested in the United States in connection with an alleged multi-billion dollar money laundering scheme involving Venezuelan government welfare plans and oil profits. The U.S. Department of Justice announced the arrest, which was carried out by a Homeland Security Task Force on Sunday.
Pulido is facing charges in two separate federal indictments that allege the laundering of more than $2 billion. Prosecutors claim that Pulido and four co-defendants bribed Venezuelan officials to obtain contracts for food and medicine intended for impoverished citizens. The indictment further alleges that Pulido significantly overcharged the Venezuelan government and channeled the illicit profits through overseas bank accounts, including those in the U.S.
Additionally, Pulido is accused of collaborating with businessman Alex Saab to launder $350 million derived from a separate bribery scheme related to Venezuela's currency exchange system. These funds were allegedly laundered using bank accounts in Florida.
Pulido had been in custody in Venezuela since March 2023, facing accusations of diverting funds from the state-run oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA). The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and State Department had previously offered a $10 million reward for information leading to his capture.
He is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday. The U.S. Attorney's Office confirmed the charges.
Pulido's arrest follows closely on the heels of Alex Saab's legal proceedings. Saab, another Colombian businessman with close ties to the Venezuelan government, pleaded guilty to money laundering charges in a U.S. court just two months prior. Saab was a prominent figure under Venezuela's former leader, Nicolás Maduro, who had appointed him minister of industry in early 2024. However, after Maduro was apprehended by U.S. forces in January and extradited to face drug-trafficking charges in New York, Saab's situation changed rapidly. Less than two weeks after Maduro's seizure, Venezuela's interim government dismissed Saab from his ministerial post and subsequently extradited him to the U.S. in May.