MIAMI — Alex Saab, a Colombian businessman and longtime ally of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, pleaded guilty this week to charges related to a money-laundering scheme involving bribery and public contracts for food and medicine.
What to know
According to the U.S. Department of Justice and FBI statements, Saab admitted his role in a conspiracy that funneled funds through the Venezuelan government’s CLAP subsidized food program. As part of the plea agreement, he agreed to forfeit approximately $195 million.
Saab had previously been the subject of U.S. sanctions and a high-profile extradition case. The latest guilty plea marks a significant development in ongoing American efforts to hold accountable figures connected to the Maduro regime’s financial networks.
CASE UPDATE: Maduro Regime Ally Alex Saab Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Scheme Involving Bribery and Public Contracts for Food and Medicine
— FBI (@FBI) September 16, 2026
Read more about how the FBI is fighting financial fraud and corruption. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/maduro-regime-ally-alex-saab-pleads-guilty-money-laundering-scheme-involving-bribery-and
The timing coincides with broader U.S. engagement in Venezuela, including recent oil development agreements announced by the Trump administration. Saab’s cooperation with investigators could provide additional insight into the financial operations that sustained the previous government in Caracas.
Court proceedings continue in Miami federal court. The plea does not resolve all outstanding matters related to Saab’s prior activities, but prosecutors described it as a major step in dismantling illicit networks tied to the former Venezuelan leadership.
Based on official Department of Justice and FBI announcements and contemporaneous court reporting as of mid-September 2026.
