Maduro ally pleads guilty to US money laundering charges

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP)—Former Venezuelan minister and ally of ousted president Nicolas Maduro, Alex Saab, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to money laundering under a deal with US prosecutors, according to a Miami court order. His case is closely linked to that of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, whose case on drug trafficking charges is being heard in a New York court following their capture in Caracas on January 3 by US armed forces. Saab, who was extradited in May this year, initially pleaded not guilty before a judge on July 24 but has now changed his plea to guilty, agreeing to cooperate in exchange for a reduced sentence. "The Defendant agrees to plead guilty to the sole count of the indictment, which charges the Defendant with Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments," the order from the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida stated. The agreement provides for the forfeiture of $195 million, a sum prosecutors believe is linked to an alleged years-long scheme involving corruption and the diversion of funds from Venezuela's CLAP food aid program. Saab could face about 20 years in prison on the money laundering charge, though both the final forfeiture amount and his final sentence depend on the extent of his cooperation with authorities.