What did the US Department of Justice say about the seizure of a plane used by Nicolás Maduro?

  • Sep, Mon, 2024
  • ICTS


“This morning, the Department of Justice seized an aircraft that we allege was illegally purchased for $13 million through a shell company and smuggled out of the United States for use by Nicolás Maduro and his cronies,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland.

“He Department “We will continue to pursue those who violate our sanctions and export controls to prevent them from using American resources to undermine the national security of the United States,” he added.

What the United States says about the seizure of the aircraft

“Let this seizure send a clear message: aircraft illegally acquired from the United States for the benefit of sanctioned Venezuelan officials cannot simply disappear,” said Commerce Department Under Secretary for Export Control Matthew S. Axelrod.

“No matter how luxurious the private jet or how powerful the officials, we will work tirelessly with our partners here and around the world to identify and return any aircraft illegally smuggled out of the United States,” he said.

“The seizure of the Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft by the United States illustrates our unwavering commitment to enforcing U.S. export control laws and imposing U.S. sanctions for any violations,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida.

“This successful seizure was the result of planning, coordination, and execution by the United States government, with invaluable assistance from authorities in the Dominican Republic. Our office, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to work to seize this aircraft and all other assets that are evading the law,” he added.

Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami said, “The seizure of this aircraft is another important action by Homeland Security Investigations, working with our domestic and international partners to combat the Maduro regime’s illegal activities.”

“The efforts undertaken here underscore HSI’s global reach and our ongoing commitment to enforcing U.S. sanctions and stemming the flow of illicit proceeds generated by high-level foreign public corruption,” he said.

Sanctions prohibit transactions with persons from the Maduro government

In August 2019, the President issued Executive Order 13884, which prohibits U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with persons who have acted or purported to act directly or indirectly for or on behalf of the government of Venezuela, including as members of the Maduro regime. To protect U.S. national security and foreign policy interests, the Department of Commerce has also imposed export controls on items destined, in whole or in part, for a Venezuelan military or military intelligence end user.

According to the U.S. investigation, in late 2022 and early 2023, individuals affiliated with Maduro allegedly used a Caribbean-based shell company to conceal their involvement in the illegal purchase of the Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft (valued at the time at approximately $13 million) from a company based in the Southern District of Florida. The aircraft was then illegally exported from the United States to Venezuela via the Caribbean in April 2023. Since May 2023, the Dassault Falcon, registered T7-ESPRT, has flown almost exclusively to and from a military base in Venezuela and has been used for the benefit of Maduro and his representatives, including to transport Maduro on visits to other countries.

The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security’s Miami Field Office is investigating the case along with the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami El Dorado Task Force.

Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Paster and Jorge Delgado of the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are handling the matter.

The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and HSI Santo Domingo provided significant assistance in working with Dominican Republic authorities.

The United States thanks the Dominican Republic for its assistance in this matter.

With information from the United States Department of Justice.





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