Message to INFODIO readers: investigative journalism, which is what this site does, takes lots of time. Visiting media looking for a quick run down on Venezuela's gargantuan corruption, have the decency to at least cite the source when plagiarising this site's content without attribution (exhibit Reuters here and here, exhibit Bloomberg here, exhibit OCCRP here). To all readers, do the right thing, the honest thing: support independent investigative journalism, help us expose rampant corruption. Note added 28/06/2021: impostors are using INFODIO's former editor's full name, and a fake email address (alek.boyd.arregui at gmail.com) to send copyright infringement claims / take down requests to web hosting companies (exhibit Hostgator). The attempt is yet another effort paid by corrupt thugs to erase information about their criminal activities. Infodio.com has no issues with other websites / journalists using / posting information published here, so long as the source is properly cited.

Houston Judge moves Rafael Ramirez' corruption to merits in Harvest case

An email from rafael@rojorojito.org yesterday brought into focus Harvest Natural Resources lawsuit against Rafael Ramirez. Ramirez emailed his followers an update, claiming "U.S. court sentence against Rafael Ramirez reversed", which is a spectacularly fake bit of news. A default judgement ($1.4 billion) awarded against Ramirez was set aside by Judge Lee Rosenthal, who concluded "there is good cause to set aside the default judgment and resolve this billion dollar international corruption case on the merits." [bold added] Furthermore, Judge Rosenthal rejected Ramirez' jurisdictional challenges, and ruled that his court has sufficient jurisdiction over the matter. This is, potentially, huge.

Rafael Ramirez approved a $4.5 billion money laundering schemeIf Harvest plays its cards right, it will be easy to show Ramirez ties to other ongoing criminal cases that the U.S. Department of Justice is dealing with. Judge Rosenthal's ruling states that, at this stage, there's enough to prove that Ramirez is "Official B" in an indictement against Luis Carlos de León, one of Ramirez's associates. Crucially, Nervis Villalobos was also indicted along de León. Villalobos has been one of Ramirez favourite operators, a right hand man of sorts in all manner of corrupt schemes in many jurisdictions.

Ramirez is criminally involved in the case against Roberto Rincón; in the case against Francisco Convit, Raul Gorrin et al, in the case of Odebrecht, in the case of Banco Espirito Santo...

Not long ago we wrote:

"Remember this scandal, involving Ricardo Salgado's Banco Espirito Santo and Rafael Ramirez? It seems Portuguese authorities are more collaborative than Spanish ones... We hear about a criminal probe in Houston (related to Roberto Rincon) that got fresh impetus and has all but outed Ramirez [aka "Grey Hair", "Official B"]. Javier Alvarado -Ramirez's chum at BARIVEN and CORPOELEC- is charged, as well as Nervis Villalobos, one of Ramirez's favourite proxies."

But where it gets truly bad for Ramirez, is in his indisputable connection to a $4.5 billion money laundering scheme set up by Villalobos, Derwick Associates and the Oberto Anselmi brothers. Ramirez's signature is right there in the PDVSA document approving the scheme. According to sources, that Grand Jury case is progressing along nicely and will shatter Ramirez' preposterous claims of innocence.

This site asked Ramirez whether he would accept to an interview in person, in any of his hide outs in Rome, Milan and Turin. No reply was given.

Ramirez is an integral part of criminal probes in Andorra, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, and the U.S. It is, simply, a question of time till international criminal justice catches up. Judge Rosenthal decision is extraordinary, in fact, for it shuts the possibility for Ramirez to find refuge and escape responsibilty on technicalities associated to civil proceedings, such as not being properly served and lack of jurisdiction. Not even in civil courts is the architect of Venezuela's largest ever corruption scheme offered solace, and that's great bloody news!

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