The US Department of Justice released news on the 15th that a close friend of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, former Venezuelan Minister of Industry Saab, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder money in the US federal court in Miami on the same day. According to the US Department of Justice, according to court documents, Saab participated in a bribery and fraud scheme that lasted nearly 10 years to profit from Venezuela's “Local Supply and Production Commission” food and drug public welfare program. Saab admitted that he organized bribes and other illegal payments to public officials to help companies secretly controlled by the conspirators obtain food and drug import contracts from the Venezuelan government. According to the US side, the conspirators then used false companies, false invoices, and transportation records to seize hundreds of millions of dollars, and transfer and launder criminal proceeds through shell companies outside of Venezuela. Some of the funds went through the US financial system.

The US Department of Justice released news on the 15th that a close friend of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, former Venezuelan Minister of Industry Saab, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder money in the US federal court in Miami on the same day. According to the US Department of Justice, according to court documents, Saab participated in a bribery and fraud scheme that lasted nearly 10 years to profit from Venezuela's “Local Supply and Production Commission” food and drug public welfare program. Saab admitted that he organized bribes and other illegal payments to public officials to help companies secretly controlled by the conspirators obtain food and drug import contracts from the Venezuelan government. According to the US side, the conspirators then used false companies, false invoices, and transportation records to seize hundreds of millions of dollars, and transfer and launder criminal proceeds through shell companies outside of Venezuela. Some of the funds went through the US financial system.