Maduro ally Saab pleads guilty in US money laundering case

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, September 17, 2026

Alex Saab, a former Venezuelan official and close associate of Nicolás Maduro, pleaded guilty in a U.S. court to conspiring to launder money from a decade-long corruption scheme involving Venezuela’s public welfare system. His plea advances investigations into the Maduro regime’s alleged financial crimes and could lead to a prison sentence of up to 20 years.

Alex Saab, a close associate of Venezuela’s former leader Nicolás Maduro, pleaded guilty in a U.S. court on Tuesday to charges of money laundering. The U.S. Department of Justice announced that Saab admitted to conspiring to launder proceeds derived from an extensive bribery and fraud scheme linked to Venezuela’s public welfare system.

According to court filings, Saab was involved in a nearly decade-long operation that exploited a Venezuelan program designed to distribute food and medicine to vulnerable populations. The scheme involved fraudulent contracts and corrupt dealings that generated illicit profits.

Saab, a Colombian businessman who previously served as a minister under Maduro, faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A date for his sentencing has not yet been scheduled.

Saab’s legal troubles date back to his 2020 arrest in Cape Verde, an island nation off the coast of West Africa. Following his detention, he was extradited to the United States in 2021 to face charges related to laundering hundreds of millions of dollars. His extradition was facilitated by Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who authorized Saab’s transfer despite his prior political ties to the Maduro administration.

In 2023, Saab was temporarily released by the U.S. government under the administration of then-President Joe Biden as part of a prisoner exchange. His latest guilty plea marks the latest development in a complex case that has highlighted alleged corruption within Venezuela’s government and the role of international financial networks.

The Justice Department’s announcement did not provide further details on the circumstances of the plea agreement or the nature of the evidence presented. Legal representatives for Saab have not issued a public comment following the plea.

This case remains part of broader investigations into corruption linked to the Maduro regime, which has faced extensive sanctions and scrutiny from the United States and other international actors over allegations of economic mismanagement and human rights abuses.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.