Venezuela Deports Maduro Ally Alex Saab to U.S.

Venezuela has deported Alex Saab, a close ally of former President Nicolás Maduro, to the United States where he faces new federal money laundering charges. This development marks a stark reversal for Saab who was pardoned by President Joe Biden in late 2023 as part of a prisoner exchange.

Saab appeared in federal court in Miami on Monday after his deportation from Venezuela over the weekend. Federal prosecutors allege he bribed high-ranking Venezuelan officials to secure lucrative government contracts, with crimes allegedly spanning from October 2015 through January 2026. According to CBS News and Los Angeles Times, Saab was ordered to remain in federal custody following his initial court appearance.

The deportation comes amid political upheaval in Venezuela since Maduro's removal earlier this year. Interim President Delcy Rodríguez has distanced herself from Saab, firing him from her Cabinet and stripping him of his role as the main conduit for foreign investments. The Venezuelan immigration authority stated that the deportation was based on several ongoing criminal investigations in the U.S., though it did not explicitly confirm his destination due to laws prohibiting the extradition of Venezuelan nationals.

Saab, described by U.S. officials as Maduro's 'bag man,' has long been viewed as a central financial figure within Maduro's inner circle. He was previously indicted in 2019 on money laundering allegations connected to Venezuelan housing contracts and arrested in Cape Verde in 2020 before his eventual pardon. The new charges are reportedly separate from his earlier pardon agreement.

If returned to U.S. custody, Saab could become a crucial witness against Maduro who is awaiting trial on drug charges in Manhattan. According to the Los Angeles Times, U.S. officials may ask him to serve as a valuable character witness against his former protector. This development follows months of conflicting reports about whether he was imprisoned or under house arrest.

The Associated Press reported that federal prosecutors have been investigating Saab's role in an alleged bribery conspiracy involving Venezuelan government contracts, stemming from a 2021 case against Saab's longtime partner, Alvaro Pulido. The indictment against him in 2019 was tied to a government contract for low-income housing that was never built.

Saab had been identified in the 2021 indictment as 'Co-Conspirator 1' and allegedly helped set up a web of companies used to bribe a pro-Maduro governor who awarded the business partners a contract to import food boxes from Mexico at an inflated price. He secretly met with the Drug Enforcement Administration before his first arrest and, in a closed-door court hearing in 2022, his lawyers revealed that the businessman for years had helped the DEA untangle corruption in Maduro's inner circle.

As Rodríguez cements her rule, she has distanced herself from Saab. The deportation follows months of conflicting reports about whether he was imprisoned or under house arrest. Saab amassed a fortune through Venezuelan government contracts but fell out of favor with the new leadership after Maduro's ouster.

Federal prosecutors in Miami were ordered to open a new criminal investigation targeting detained former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro amid concerns that the pending prosecution against him is weak. The new probe comes as Alex Saab, a close business associate of Maduro who served as Venezuela's minister of industry and national production, was deported to the U.S. and indicted for his alleged role in a money-laundering conspiracy scheme involving a Venezuelan public welfare food program.

Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were captured by U.S. forces on Venezuelan soil in early January and transported to New York City to face narco-trafficking and firearms charges. He was initially charged in a superseding indictment dating to 2020, while Bill Barr was attorney general. Both have pleaded not guilty.

The order from senior Justice Department leaders to open a new criminal case in Miami against Venezuela's former leader was issued after Maduro was already in custody on the New York-based charges. A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment. An attorney for Maduro declined to comment on the new criminal investigation.

The new investigation was formally opened around March, and Michael Berger, a respected Miami-based prosecutor who specializes in international criminal cases, was assigned to oversee the effort, along with several agents from the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations. IRS Criminal Investigation is also involved.