FBI Disrupts Alleged Money Laundering Scheme Linked to Maduro Family
WASHINGTON – The Federal Bureau of Examination has dismantled a series of alleged money laundering operations connected to the children of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro,according to statements made by FBI Director Kash Patel. The operations were characterized as efforts to financially sustain the Maduro regime, which the U.S. government has repeatedly accused of corruption and drug trafficking.
The FBI’s actions come amid escalating U.S. pressure on the Maduro government, already subject to extensive sanctions. This disruption aims to cut off a critical lifeline for the regime, hindering its ability to maintain power and perhaps exacerbating the ongoing political and economic crisis in Venezuela. Lawmakers are simultaneously advancing legislation to further increase pressure, including a substantial increase in the reward for Maduro’s capture.
patel described the schemes as “criminal lifeguards” for the Maduro government, asserting that the U.S. “will not be a safe shelter” for illicit funds. He labeled Maduro a “corrupt narcoterrorist dictator” during a Saturday appearance on Fox News, where he discussed the takedown.
On Thursday, Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody, both Republicans representing Florida, introduced a bill to double the existing reward for facts leading to Maduro’s arrest to $100 million. A companion measure seeks to prohibit U.S. businesses from engaging with entities linked to the Venezuelan government.
The FBI has not publicly detailed the specifics of the money laundering schemes or the identities of those directly involved, citing the ongoing investigation. Though, the agency confirmed the operations involved complex financial transactions designed to conceal the origin and destination of funds.
