MIAMI - A federal grand jury in Florida has indicted Venezuelan media mogul Raul Gorrin Belisario for his role in a massive $1.2 billion money-laundering scheme involving illicit funds from Venezuela’s state oil company, PdVSA. 

Court documents reveal that Gorrin (56) collaborated with others between 2014 and 2018 to conceal the proceeds of a bribery scheme through the U.S. financial system and foreign bank accounts. The accused paid millions of dollars in bribes to high-ranking Venezuelan officials in exchange for favorable foreign currency loans from PdVSA. A complex network of shell companies and offshore accounts was then used to obscure the origin of the funds. 

Nicole Argentieri, head of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, stated that Gorrin and his accomplices exploited the U.S. financial system to hide illegally obtained profits. The money laundering was carried out in part through the purchase of luxury items such as yachts and real estate in Florida. 

Markenzy Lapointe, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, emphasized the commitment to combating foreign corruption. His office, in collaboration with the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), is working to identify and prosecute individuals undermining the U.S. financial system. 

Gorrin has been charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. However, he remains a fugitive and is still wanted in a separate criminal case. The case is being investigated by HSI Miami’s El Dorado Task Force, with support from international and domestic partners. 

The Department of Justice notes that the indictment is part of a broader effort to combat criminal organizations that pose a threat to the United States. Authorities continue to collaborate globally to protect the rule of law and fight illegal financial activities.