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United States of America v. Alex Nain Saab Moran and Alvaro Pulido Vargas, a/k/a "German Enrique
Rubio Salas" · Multiple Parties' Involvement in Venezuela between 2011 and 2020

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Defendants, Claims & Jurisdiction

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Bribery

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Case Information

Initiation Date: 07/25/2019

Prosecuting Agency: U.S. Department of Justice
Type of Action: DOJ Criminal Proceeding
Docket or Case Number: 19-cr-20450
Court: S.D. Florida

Name of Prosecuting Attorneys:

Ariana Fajardo Orshan, United States Attorney
Michael B. Nadler, Assistant United States Attorney
Robert A. Zink, Acting Chief, Fraud Section, Criminal Division
John-Alex Romano, Trial Attorney, Fraud Section, Criminal Division
US Assisting Agencies:
Federal Bureau of Investigation
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency
Foreign Enforcement Action/Investigation: Unknown

Foreign Assistance: Unknown

Origin of the Proceeding: Unknown
Whistleblower: Unknown
Case Status: Ongoing

Summary
Alex Nain Saab Moran and Alvaro Pulido Vargas, a/k/a "German Enrique Rubio Salas" were Colombian
businessmen.

According to the documents in this case, from November 2011 through September 2015, Saab and Pulido
conspired with others to launder the proceeds of an illegal bribery scheme in Venezuela. Saab and Pulido
allegedly obtained a contract with the Venezuelan government in November 2011 to build low-income
housing units, and then they took advantage of Venezuela’s government-controlled exchange rate, under
which U.S. dollars could be obtained at a favorable rate, by submitting false and fraudulent import
documents for goods and materials that were never imported into Venezuela and bribing Venezuelan
government officials to approve those documents.

On July 25, 2019, the DOJ filed an eight count indictment in the Southern District of Florida against Saab
and Pulido alleging conspiracy to commit money laundering and direct money laundering violations. The
court transferred both defendants to fugitive status in August 2019. On April 5, 2021, Saab appealed that
transfer, and the appeal is pending. On October 18, 2021, the DOJ announced that Saab had been
extradited from Cabo Verde, and as part of the agreement with Cabo Verde for Saab's extradition, the
DOJ moved on November 1, 2021, to dismiss counts 2-8 of the indictment against Saab, which the court
granted the same day.

Saab filed a motion with the district court asking it to vacate the order transferring him to fugitive status
and to allow him to file a special appearance to argue that he was immune from prosecution as a foreign
diplomat. The court denied that motion, which Saab appealed to the Eleveth Circuit Court of Appeals. The
Court of Appeals held that since Saab was no longer a fugitive so that portion was moot, but that the
district court should still determine if he was immune from prosecution.
The jury trial originally scheduled to begin on October 11, 2022, was postponed while the court
considered Saab's possible immunity. However, on December 23, 2022, the court held that Saab was not
a foreign diplomat and thus could be prosecuted.

On December 15, 2023, President Joseph Biden pardoned Saab on the condition that, among other
things, he leave the U.S., not return, and not commit any additional crimes in violation of U.S. laws.
Accordingly, on March 28, the DOJ moved to dismiss the indictment without prejudice against Saab, and
the court granted the motion on the same day.

The DOJ filed a separate indictment against Pulido in 2021 for what appears to be a related scheme
involving other people.

The case against Pulido is ongoing.

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