The Colombian businessman and former Venezuelan minister admitted to laundering proceeds from state contracts tied to the CLAP food program, agreed to forfeit up to $195 million, and has signaled he will provide information on higher‑level officials.
Alex Saab pleaded guilty in the U.S. to conspiracy, fraud, bribery of public officials, and concealing the origin of laundered funds.
He agreed to forfeit up to $195 million and could face a maximum sentence of about 20 years, though prosecutors have promised to seek a lower-range sentence in exchange for cooperation.
Saab’s cooperation is expected to include information on possible co-conspirators and could extend to testimony linked to cases involving high-ranking Venezuelan officials, including Nicolás Maduro.
Alex Saab, a Colombian businessman long described as a close ally and alleged frontman for Nicolás Maduro, changed his plea in the Southern District of Florida and admitted to charges that include conspiracy to commit money laundering, fraud, bribery of public officials, and concealing the origin of illicit funds.
The plea agreement — reported but not publicly released in full — commits Saab to cooperate with U.S. prosecutors. Media reports indicate he will provide "full information" about events that may involve high-ranking Venezuelan officials. Prosecutors, in turn, will ask for a sentence at the lower end of the applicable range based on his ongoing cooperation.
Saab will forfeit up to $195 million as part of the agreement. He faces a statutory maximum sentence of roughly 20 years in prison on the charges admitted, although the specific sentence will depend on court proceedings and the degree of cooperation he provides.
How the case fits into broader investigations
Saab's cooperation raises the possibility he could testify against Nicolás Maduro. U.S. charges have been filed against Maduro and others on drug‑trafficking and weapons offenses, and a trial involving Maduro is scheduled to begin in June 2027. Saab's statements to prosecutors could inform or underpin portions of those cases, depending on what he discloses.
Background and prior interactions with U.S. authorities
Reports say Saab cooperated with the FBI and DEA between 2016 and 2019, supplying information about bribes he paid to Venezuelan officials. That cooperation reportedly ended when he fled to Venezuela and did not surrender to DEA officers. He was arrested in Cabo Verde in 2020 and later extradited to the United States. In 2023 he was released as part of a prisoner swap with the Maduro regime.
Court filings and the unredacted plea agreement will reveal the precise scope of Saab's cooperation and the identities of any co-conspirators he names. Any testimony or evidence he provides that links higher-level Venezuelan officials to the corruption scheme could affect ongoing and future prosecutions, including the trial scheduled for June 2027.
A close ally of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has pleaded guilty to bribing officials to secure contracts for importing food during Venezuela's crisis.
A close ally of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro long described by U.S. officials as the ousted leader's frontman pleaded guilty Tuesday to a single count of money laundering tied to an alleged bribery conspiracy to win lucrative government contracts in the South American country.
Alex Saab pleads guilty in US court to laundering bribe and fraud proceeds linked to Venezuela's welfare programme.
Alex Saab, a former official in Venezuela and longtime ally of its deposed leader, Nicolás Maduro, agreed to cooperate with investigators.
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