Former Venezuelan National Guard officer pleads guilty to money laundering scheme
On Monday, Nepmar Jesús Escalona, a former Venezuelan National Guard officer, pleaded guilty in a Florida court to being part of a money laundering scheme involving bribes paid to officials in Venezuela, according to the US Department of Justice.
Escalona, 47, confessed to participating in a scheme where fraudulent applications were submitted to the Venezuelan monetary regulation authority, CADIVI, between 2010 and 2017. The aim was to deceive Banco Banesco, the Central Bank of Venezuela, and customs authorities to obtain US dollars outside of Venezuela.
The applications were made under the pretense of financing food imports to Venezuela, but in reality, it was a scam to enrich the conspirators. Escalona and his accomplices managed to transfer nearly $1.7 million from Banco Banesco to an account they controlled at Banco do Brasil.
To ensure the success of their plan, members of the scheme paid bribes to Venezuelan officials. Escalona, who has been living in South Florida since 2014, is set to be sentenced on May 23 and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for his crimes.
The guilty plea underscores the ongoing issue of corruption and money laundering involving Venezuelan officials. Stay tuned for further updates on this case.
By AFP