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The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States revealed new details about an international money laundering scheme linked to the children of the Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.
The investigation, initiated in 2019 by the Miami field office, indicates that associates of chavismo opened bank accounts in the United States to move capital of illicit origin, despite the existing sanctions against the regime.
A scheme sustained for years
According to documents from the FBI consulted by Fox News Digital, the businessman allegedly managed transfers and accounts in the names of Maduro's children and his associates.
The records of suspicious activities indicated that A. K. received funds from Venezuela to introduce them into the U.S. financial system.
In 2022, an undercover operation revealed that A. K. and his associate, Irazmar Carbajal, agreed to transfer $100,000 that, according to agents, came from officials of the Chavista regime. Of that amount, $25,000 actually entered the United States.
The most striking aspect for the researchers was A. K.'s reaction: far from being alarmed, he labeled the maneuver as a "sexy matter," reflecting the nonchalance with which chavismo operators viewed such illegal activities.
Accusations and arrests
On September 25, a federal court in Florida formally charged A. K. with money laundering and conspiracy to engage in unlicensed money transfers, while Carbajal was accused of conspiracy to carry out unauthorized transactions.
Carbajal, originally from Uruguay, recently traveled to the Dominican Republic, from where he was deported on October 2. During the journey, while on a layover in the United States, he was arrested by the FBI. A. K., on the other hand, remains in Venezuela.
Strong messages from the FBI
The head of communications at the Bureau, Erica Knight, wrote on Saturday on her X account that "there is 50 million dollars on Maduro's head, who continues to hide in Venezuela with his main facilitators."
He described him as a "cartel thug disguised as a dictator" and stated that his days of money laundering in the United States are over.
For his part, FBI Director Kash Patel emphasized that the Chavista regime maintains its grip on power thanks to these "criminal lifelines."
"Maduro is not only corrupt: he is a narcoterrorist dictator," Patel said on X.
"The FBI is blocking every dollar, every account, and every facilitator. The United States will never be a safe haven for your blood-stained money," he emphasized.
The connection with the Cartel of the Suns
The case adds to the multiple sanctions against Chavista officials and structures.
In July, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the Department of the Treasury officially included the Cartel of the Suns -allegedly led by Maduro, Diosdado Cabello, and Vladimir Padrino López- on the list of Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organizations.
According to Washington, that cartel has connections with the Tren de Aragua in Venezuela and with the Cártel de Sinaloa in Mexico, both organizations deemed foreign terrorist groups by the United States.
The charges include drug trafficking, human trafficking, sexual exploitation of minors, extortion, and money laundering.
Rewards and background
The DEA and the Department of Justice have set rewards ranging from 15 to 25 million dollars for information leading to the arrest of Maduro and Cabello.
In parallel, in 2020, federal authorities in Miami seized 450 million dollars linked to Venezuelan corruption cases, including over 280 million belonging to Alejandro Andrade, former treasurer of the Chavista regime.
A final warning
The FBI special agent in Miami, Brett Skiles, warned that the Maduro regime's attempts to move money in the United States "will not go unchecked."
He emphasized that the accusations against A. K. and Carbajal reflect the Bureau's commitment to pursuing international money laundering, particularly when it involves sanctioned governments.
Meanwhile, Washington insists that it will not recognize Maduro as a legitimate ruler and will continue to work with regional allies to cut off the financial channels that sustain his regime.
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