Summary
The Homeland Security Task Force has announced the arrest of Alex Saab, a close ally of the Maduro regime, in connection with a large international money laundering case tied to Venezuelan food contracts and oil transactions. U.S. authorities allege that Saab was involved in a complex scheme that included corruption, shell companies, fake invoices, and illegal financial transfers connected to Venezuela’s public welfare food program.
According to court records, Saab appeared in court after an indictment was unsealed in the Southern District of Florida. Prosecutors claim he played a major role in laundering millions of dollars linked to the Comité Local de Abastecimiento y Producción (CLAP) program. The CLAP initiative was originally created to provide affordable food to vulnerable Venezuelans during the country’s economic crisis.
Authorities allege that Saab and his associates secured profitable food contracts through bribery involving Venezuelan public officials. Investigators claim that fake paperwork was used to hide the real source and value of food shipments imported into Venezuela. Some shipments were allegedly falsely documented as imports from Colombia and Mexico.
Investigators Allege Fake Documents and Shell Companies Were Used
Federal prosecutors accuse Saab and his co-conspirators of using shell companies, falsified shipping records, and fabricated invoices to divert large amounts of money intended for food purchases. According to investigators, hundreds of millions of dollars connected to the CLAP program were moved through a network of financial transactions designed to hide the origin of the funds.
Authorities also allege that portions of the money were transferred through American bank accounts. The Justice Department stated that the use of the U.S. financial system gave American courts jurisdiction over the alleged crimes. Investigators say the operation was carefully structured to conceal illegal profits and disguise financial movements across multiple countries.
The indictment further claims that the alleged laundering network expanded between 2019 and January 2026. During this period, Venezuela faced growing financial pressure from economic sanctions, especially in the oil sector. Prosecutors allege that Saab and his associates gained access to billions of dollars worth of oil owned by Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), Venezuela’s state-owned oil company.
U.S. Authorities Detail Alleged Oil Laundering Operation
According to prosecutors, the oil linked to the scheme was allegedly sold under false pretenses. Authorities claim the proceeds from these oil sales were then transferred through international financial systems, including U.S. bank accounts, to support and hide the broader money laundering operation connected to the CLAP program.
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Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that Saab would be prosecuted and held accountable under U.S. law for his alleged role in the operation. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva said the case involved the laundering of hundreds of millions of dollars stolen from a Venezuelan food program meant to help poor citizens, along with profits from illegal oil sales.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida stated that the indictment describes a humanitarian food program that was allegedly manipulated for massive personal enrichment. He said the charges include bribery, fake documents, and the use of shell companies to move illicit funds across international financial networks.
Federal Agencies Say Investigation Targeted International Financial Networks
Several federal agencies participated in the investigation, including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI Miami Field Office, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami. DEA Administrator Terrance Cole stated that the agency had investigated financial crime networks tied to the former Maduro regime for years.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles said investigators worked together to dismantle a sophisticated financial network allegedly designed to hide illegally obtained wealth. Officials stated that the Homeland Security Task Force was created to investigate transnational criminal organizations, money laundering operations, and international corruption cases affecting the United States and other countries.
Saab has been charged with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Prosecutors emphasized that the indictment contains allegations and that Saab is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.