José Trinidad Márquez accused of multi-million dollar oil industry fraud

A 72-year-old man known as ‘Camaleón Criollo’ has been identified as a suspected fraudster who allegedly used multiple identities to secure millions in commissions within the oil and offshore industries.

Investigations indicate that José Trinidad Márquez, or individuals using aliases such as William Jaramillo and Domingo Galán Macías, held meetings at the Hotel Villamagna in Madrid during the last week of August. These meetings were reportedly held with the head of Seaplace, a Spanish engineering firm specializing in naval design and offshore infrastructure.

Márquez has a documented criminal history spanning 35 years, including 13 records for white-collar crimes and several judicial warrants. His alleged activities date back to 1991, when he reportedly impersonated an executive from the Venezuelan state oil company, PDVSA, to secure contracts with Stone & Webster for ethylene and olefin plants, involving millions in fraudulent commissions.