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Alvaro Pulido Vargas taken into U.S. custody for Venezuelan bribery schemes
Colombian businessman Alvaro Pulido Vargas, also known as German Enrique Rubio Salas, has been taken into U.S. custody following an investigation by the DEA, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations. Pulido, a former business partner of Alex Saab, was transferred from a prison in Caracas to Florida.
Pulido faces two separate federal indictments from 2019 and 2021 involving alleged multibillion-dollar money laundering and bribery schemes tied to the government of Nicolás Maduro. Prosecutors allege that Pulido and Saab used offshore shell companies to funnel bribes to Venezuelan officials in exchange for lucrative state contracts. These contracts reportedly involved the supply of essential goods, including food, medicine, and low-cost housing through programs like the CLAP initiative.
Pulido had been detained in Venezuela since 2023 as part of a corruption investigation involving the state-run oil company PDVSA. He is scheduled to make his initial court appearance in a Miami federal court on Tuesday, October 13.
Entities
Alex Saab · Delcy Rodríguez · Department of Justice · Drug Enforcement Administration · Nicolás Maduro · PDVSA · Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. · Todd Blanche · U.S. Department of Justice · United States Department of Justice · Venezuela · Álvaro Pulido Vargas
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 26 SOURCES] Alvaro Pulido was taken into U.S. custody following an investigation led by the DEA, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations. world-today-journal.com · mymotherlode.com · www.cbsnews.com · time.news · www.notitarde.com.ve · +19 more
- [● 30 SOURCES] Federal prosecutors in Miami indicted Alvaro Pulido in 2019 and 2021. world-today-journal.com · mymotherlode.com · www.cbsnews.com · reporteconfidencial.info · time.news · +23 more
- [● 9 SOURCES] The DEA and State Department offered a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to Pulido's arrest. world-today-journal.com · mymotherlode.com · www.cbsnews.com · www.notitarde.com.ve · triblive.com · +3 more
- [● 9 SOURCES] Pulido and Alex Saab allegedly used offshore shell companies to funnel bribes to allies of former President Nicolás Maduro. world-today-journal.com · mymotherlode.com · www.cbsnews.com · triblive.com · www.notitarde.com.ve · +3 more
- [● 21 SOURCES] Pulido was previously arrested in Venezuela in 2023 during a corruption crackdown at the state-run oil company PDVSA. mymotherlode.com · www.cbsnews.com · www.notitarde.com.ve · primeraedicioncol.com · triblive.com · +15 more
- [● 21 SOURCES] The bribery scheme allegedly secured contracts for importing food, medicine, and low-cost housing in Venezuela. world-today-journal.com · mymotherlode.com · www.cbsnews.com · triblive.com · www.notitarde.com.ve · +14 more
- [● 9 SOURCES] Pulido's business partner, Alex Saab, was deported to the U.S. by Delcy Rodríguez in May. mymotherlode.com · world-today-journal.com · www.cbsnews.com · www.notitarde.com.ve · triblive.com · +3 more
- [● 22 SOURCES] Pulido is scheduled to make his initial court appearance in Miami on Tuesday, October 13. mymotherlode.com · www.cbsnews.com · world-today-journal.com · time.news · www.notitarde.com.ve · +15 more