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.
The U.S. Deparment of Justice announced yesterday that Abraham Ortega, a former PDVSA finance exec, pleaded guilty: "Former Executive Director at Venezuelan State-Owned Oil Company, Petroleos De Venezuela, S.A., Pleads Guilty to Role in Billion-Dollar Money Laundering Conspiracy" A Factual Profer of case (1:18-cr-20685-KMW) was released with the announcement (see below).
Rafael Ramirez, the man who squandered through nepotism and graft schemes the largest amount of income that Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) has ever seen / will ever see, is challenging other chavistas to debate about corruption. Seriously.
Further to embezzlement of $1.2 billion from PDVSA, for which U.S. Department of Justice indicted Francisco Convit and Matthias Krull, the full list of named conspirators (see below) has been leaked to this site. Expectedly Derwick Associates execs are all involved, as well as other equally criminal Venezuelan "businessmen", PDVSA officials and, even, Nicolas Maduro.
Brazil's Estadao reported yesterday that Switzerland Prosecutor's Office will send to the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) banking information related to payment of $160 million worth of bribes to five PDVSA officials.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Rafael Ramirez, former concurrent Energy Minister and CEO of Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), basically managed Venezuela's income between 2004-2014. While at the helm of PDVSA, over $1.2 trillion got past his hands. Ramirez is even on the record, admitting that he oversaw transfers between PDVSA and the Venezuelan State worth some $480 billion.
If there was ever a need for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to cement his bruttish image, the announcement of two days ago, regarding fresh deals to ramp up oil production between PDVSA and Well Services Cavallino C.A; Petro Kariña C.A.; Helios Petroleum Services C.A.; Shandong Kerui Group; Consorcio Rinoca Centauro Karina; Consorcio Petrolero Tomoporo and Venenca, did the tric
A source with an intriguing tale of corruption brings me back to corruption issues. For a long while, PDVSA was LatAm’s largest energy conglomerate. Oilmen from Venezuela have spread far and wide since Hugo Chavez’s 1998 electoral victory.
On 18 February 2020, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Rosneft Trading S.A. for "operating in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy." OFAC's announcement included, under "Recent Rosneft Trading S.A. Activity" the following:
- "In January 2020, Rosneft Trading S.A. facilitated, on behalf of PdVSA, a shipment of two million barrels of Merey-16 crude oil from Venezuela to West Africa."
Readers of this site will know that Wilmer Ruperti is a topic of interest. To cut it short, Ruperti went from being a “tanker master”, to become the go-to-guy for all of PDVSA’s shipping needs. Quite a feat, assisted (as per Ruperti’s own claims) by Ali Rodriguez and Rafael Ramirez. In the process, of course, he made a fortune.
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