InfoBytes Blog
Another executive arrested in Venezuelan energy company bribery case
On August 1, DOJ announced the arrest of a dual U.S.-Venezuelan citizen on foreign bribery charges for making and conspiring to make corrupt payments to an official of a Venezuela’s state-owned energy company. He was arrested at Miami International Airport on an arrest warrant based on a criminal complaint in the Southern District of Texas, which was unsealed on July 31. He made an initial appearance before a magistrate judge in the Southern District of Florida.
According to the criminal complaint, the citizen and a co-conspirator paid at least $629,000 in bribes to a former company official in exchange for favorable business treatment for his companies, including: (1) directing company contracts to his companies, (2) giving his companies priority over other vendors to receive payments, and (3) awarding his companies contracts in U.S. dollars rather than Venezuelan bolivars.
DOJ has announced charges against 17 individuals, including the citizen, as part of its investigation into bribery at the company. 12 individuals have pleaded guilty.