U.S. arrests businessman accused of bribing Venezuelan officials
Alvaro Pulido, a businessman indicted in Miami, was taken into U.S. custody over allegations he paid bribes to Venezuelan officials for state contracts. Prosecutors say he and partner Alex Saab used offshore shell companies to secure more than $2 billion in contracts for food, medicine, and housing. Pulido is scheduled to appear in court in Miami on Tuesday.
Pulido, 62, was named in Miami federal indictments in 2019 and 2021 tied to an investigation of Alex Saab, once aligned with removed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. U.S. agencies had offered as much as $10 million for information leading to his capture, and he was detained following work by the DEA, FBI and Homeland Security Investigations.
Prosecutors say Pulido and Saab built offshore shell companies to route bribes to Maduro associates, winning over $2 billion in contracts for food, medicine and housing. Pulido, born in Colombia, was arrested in Venezuela in 2023 during a PDVSA corruption sweep; he also had a 1997 Italian drug conviction under another name.
The arrest could affect Venezuelan officials and business figures tied to state contracts, as it may intensify scrutiny of cross-border corruption cases. Venezuelans who relied on food, medicine and housing programs could see renewed attention to how those funds were allegedly diverted. U.S. prosecutors may use the case to encourage cooperation, potentially reshaping how offshore financial networks are investigated.