A Colombian man, Álvaro Pulido, 62, has been detained in the United States on suspicion of involvement in a multi-billion-dollar money laundering operation linked to a Venezuelan government welfare plan. The US Department of Justice stated that Pulido was arrested during a Homeland Security Task Force operation on Sunday.
US prosecutors have charged Pulido in two federal indictments, alleging the laundering of over $2 billion in connection with Venezuelan government bribery schemes. He is accused, along with four co-defendants, of bribing Venezuelan officials to secure contracts for providing food and medicine to impoverished Venezuelans.
Prosecutors further allege that Pulido significantly overcharged the Venezuelan government and laundered the resulting profits through bank accounts located abroad, including in the US. He is also accused of collaborating with Alex Saab to launder $350 million from a separate bribery scheme involving Venezuela's currency exchange system, using bank accounts in Florida.
Pulido is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday, according to a statement from the US Attorney's Office. The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and State Department had previously offered a $10 million (£7.5 million) reward for information leading to his arrest.