Colombian fugitive detained in Cape Verde

Cape Verde authorities have arrested a businessman accused by the US of corrupt dealings with the government of Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro. Colombian national Alex Saab was indicted by the US Justice Department for money laundering last July. BBC News reports that he was detained on an Interpol ‘red notice’ stemming from the indictment. He was travelling to Iran on a Venezuelan plane and had stopped in Cape Verde to refuel. Saab is accused by the US Government of serving as Maduro's front man in a large network of money laundering and corruption. Legalbrief reports that Colombian prosecutors last year charged Saab with crimes of money laundering, a concert to commit crimes, illicit enrichment, exports and fictitious imports and an aggravated fraud for events related to his Shatex company. Since September 2018, he is considered a fugitive in Colombia for failing to attend any judicial proceedings.

Alex Saab profile

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