Businessman wanted for years for allegedly bribing Venezuelan officials finally in U.S. custody

Pulido, a businessman wanted in the United States for years, has been taken into U.S. custody. Authorities allege he paid senior Venezuelan officials for valuable state contracts.

Nicole Navas Oxman, a spokesperson for a Homeland Security Task Force, said the DEA, FBI and Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation.

Prosecutors say Pulido and fellow Colombian Alex Saab used offshore companies to channel bribes to allies of Nicolás Maduro. The alleged payments were linked to contracts for food, medicine and affordable housing.

Venezuelan officials have not publicly commented on Pulido’s arrest. The article describes a political challenge for acting President Delcy Rodríguez as the U.S. seeks Venezuelan figures wanted on charges including corruption and drug trafficking.

Saab was sent to the U.S. by Rodríguez in May. He pleaded guilty last month in a related bribery case, agreed to cooperate with investigators and accepted forfeiture of $195 million in criminal proceeds. The article does not say what happens next in Pulido’s case.