A federal grand jury in Miami indicted Maikel José Moreno Pérez, 57, a former president of the Venezuelan Supreme Court and current judge, with conspiring to launder bribes he received in exchange for using his position to resolve civil and criminal matters. cases in Venezuela.
According to criminal indictment documents, as president of the Supreme Court of Venezuela, Moreno had the power to influence judicial decisions in Venezuela because he had the authority to determine the panel of judges who would hear cases in the Supreme Court and the power to appoint or remove judges of the courts of first instance and appeals in Venezuela. This activity lasted from 2014 to March 2019.
Moreno is alleged to have received more than $10 million in bribes, mostly from Venezuelan contractors who had received contracts from Venezuelan state entities.
In 2014, prior to his appointment as Chief Justice, he received $1 million via electronic transfers to his personal bank account in Miami from a Venezuelan contractor. This money was to agree to resolve future Venezuelan criminal cases in favor of this contractor.
During his tenure on the Supreme Court, Moreno received bribes in exchange for influencing actions in criminal cases, including the dismissal of criminal charges and warrants for the arrest or home confinement order for defendants, according to criminal charging documents.
Moreno received bribes from a contractor accused in the United States of a multi-million dollar fraud scheme to get a Venezuelan criminal case dismissed. He also received bribes in exchange for taking official action in Venezuelan civil cases. He agreed to authorize the judicial seizure of a General Motors auto plant (valued at approximately $100 million) as part of a civil dispute in exchange for a percentage share of the proceeds from the sale of the plant, it is alleged. He maintained a bribe book that tracked millions of dollars in incoming bribes and personal expenses.
Moreno allegedly used the proceeds from the bribes to buy or renovate real estate around the world, including a villa in Tuscany, Italy, for €2.4 million, a luxury villa in La Romana, Dominican Republic, for $1, 5 million, a building in Las Mercedes in Caracas, Venezuela, for $1.3 million, and an apartment in Miami for $1.3 million. He also used the proceeds from the bribes to buy cars, luxury items, luxury trips and more than $300,000 for a musical performance at his wedding.
Prosecutors charge Moreno with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, one count of concealing money laundering and two counts of involvement in criminal property transactions.
The money laundering charges each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years and the charges of engaging in transactions in property derived from criminal activity each carry a maximum sentence of 10 years.
Maibort Petit
Author and founder of the Freedom Voice Reports. this article was written for Venezuelan Politica, which is an affiliate of Freedom Voice Reports. it deals mainly with government corruption and transnational crime and our federal court system.
Freedom Voice Reports
A non-profit 501(c)(3), translated this Spanish article from the La Iberia , with permission.
Founded by Maibort Petit. An organization through their media company that defends your Freedoms and Human Rights from government abuses. They are also known for their many community projects.