Alex Chop pleaded guilty to money laundering before a judge in Florida

Colombian businessman Alex Chop, Nicolas Maduro has been accused of embezzling hundreds of millions of dollars through corrupt deals with the Venezuelan government. Innocent The court case this Monday further strained relations between the United States and South America.

Alex Chop did not speak, But his lawyer Neil Schuster said in court he represented “the diplomat of the Republic of Bolivaria in Venezuela” and pleaded not guilty.

U.S. prosecutors allege Saab amassed Property worth more than $ 350 million after bribing Venezuelan officials and making false documents Get housing construction contracts at affordable prices.

As part of the deal with Cape Verde, he could be deported. Washington dropped seven of the eight charges it first faced, leaving only the conspiracy to commit money laundering.. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.

Saab’s deportation from Cape Verde has further strained the atmosphere between the United States and Venezuela, interfering with the dialogue between the Maduro government and the Venezuelan opposition.

The first hearing in this court case took place after Judge Robert Scola rejected Chap’s request to limit the presence of the public and the press. In the first investigation, which was virtualized by Zoom, more than 300 people were linked, and Colombia’s security alleges that many of them violated the law by taking photos and videos posted on social networks. Because Defendant claimed that the public could only participate by telephone, which was rejected by the judge, who ordered a face-to-face hearing.

Courts cannot be accessed by telephone or electronic devices, except by lawyers and authorized persons. Due to the corona virus infection, most investigations are almost conducted.

Chap, 49, faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted on a single charge in a Miami (Florida) court, and his sentence could be reduced if he reached an agreement with the attorney’s office.

The Savista regime accuses Saab, who the United States considers Maduro’s leading figure, of being one of its ambassadors on a humanitarian mission en route to Iran.

But court documents in another case indicate that Maduro may have betrayed the Venezuelan government for years and met with US officials before being indicted in 2019, despite being presented as a loyal character.

Saab has said he has nothing to cooperate with the United States, As defendants often do in order to obtain a lighter sentence.

The businessman is also involved in another court case involving bribery to obtain food and drug supply contracts from the Maduro government. At least part of that food came from Mexico and then shipped to Venezuela with the premium.

(With AP info)

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