The Venezuelan magistrate Maikel José Moreno Perez He was indicted by a Miami grand jury for laundering bribes in exchange for helping avoid court cases, the US Department of Justice said in a statement Thursday.
Criminal cassation magistrate and former president of the supreme court, Moreno, 57, he allegedly received more than $10 million in kickbacksparticularly by businessmen who had signed contracts with Venezuelan government entities, according to the document.
The prosecution assures that Moreno could “influence judicial decisions in Venezuela” by having the possibility of designating the magistrates who tried the cases.
Mashed potato could “appoint or remove judges lower courts at first instance and appellate level,” according to the indictment.
Such criminal activities would take place from 2014 to March 2019.
During his tenure, Moreno received bribes for influencing criminal proceedings filing of charges and arrest warrants you hate home confinement for the defendants, according to the prosecution.
also received compensation for intervening in civil cases. The defendant admitted, for example,authorize the judicial seizure of a General Motors automobile plant (worth approximately $100 million) as part of a civil suit, in exchange for a percentage interest on the proceeds from the sale of the factory.
what did he do with the money
Moreno would use the money received to buy or renovate properties around the worldincluding a villa in the Italian region of Tuscany for 2.4 million euros, a luxury home in the Dominican Republic for 1.5 million dollars, a building in Caracas for 1.3 million dollars and an apartment in Miami for 1 $.3 million.
It was also bought cars and luxury itemsand spent more than $300,000 on a musical performance at their wedding, according to court documents.
The grand jury indicted Moreno on one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, one count of concealment of money laundering, and two counts of participating in property transactions derived from criminal activity.
Each of the money laundering offenses carries a maximum sentence of 20 years, and each of the charges of participating in transactions with assets derived from criminal activity carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.
In February 2021, Moreno was re-elected head of the TSJ, but last year was appointed chief magistrate of that court, captained by Gladys Gutiérrez.
In 2020, the US government imposed penalties on Moreno and offered a $5 million reward to which it provides information that allows its capture.
AFP AND EFE
Source: Clarin
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.