Alex Saab to Admit Guilt in US Money-Laundering Case Linked to Venezuelan Food Contracts

Alex Saab, identified by U.S. officials as Nicolás Maduro’s primary financial conduit, is scheduled to enter a guilty plea before Judge Kathleen Williams in Miami. The charge concerns a conspiracy to fabricate companies, manipulate shipping records and divert money from state-run food-distribution contracts under the CLAP program. Saab, who was expelled from Venezuela by acting President Delcy Rodriguez following U.S. demands, had earlier been pardoned by President Joe Biden in 2023 as part of a hostage-exchange deal.

The pardon, criticized by Republicans and law-enforcement agencies, left open investigations into additional wrongdoing. Prosecutors may also seek Saab’s testimony against Maduro, who faces separate drug-trafficking charges in New York. The case unfolds amid a renewed U.S. focus on Venezuela’s oil reserves, highlighted by President Trump’s announcement of a major oil partnership with Alejandro Betancourt.