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Alvaro Pulido, fugitive businessman, taken into U.S. custody amid Venezuela bribery probe
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Pulido captured and transferred to U.S. custody
Federal law-enforcement agencies announced that Alvaro Pulido, a Colombian-born businessman wanted in the United States for alleged bribery of senior Venezuelan officials, has been placed in U.S. custody. The capture resulted from a joint task force that included the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations. The agencies have not disclosed how Pulido was moved across borders, but a Homeland Security Task Force spokesperson confirmed his arrival in the United States.
Investigation background and alleged bribery scheme
Pulido was first indicted in Miami federal court in 2019 and again in 2021 as part of a broader probe into his longtime associate Alex Saab, a Colombian businessman who was a close ally of former President Nicolás Maduro. Prosecutors allege that Pulido and Saab created a network of offshore shell companies to funnel large bribes to top Maduro loyalists in exchange for state contracts to import food, medicine and low-cost housing during a period of severe scarcity in Venezuela. The scheme is said to have involved the state-run oil company PDVSA, and a 2023 domestic crackdown led by then-vice president Delcy Rodríguez resulted in Pulido’s arrest in Venezuela before his eventual transfer to the United States.
Official agency statements
Nicole Navas Oxman, spokesperson for the Homeland Security Task Force, said the operation “successfully brought” Pulido into U.S. custody and that he will appear before a federal judge in Miami in the coming days. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the State Department had previously offered a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to his capture.
Legal and financial stakes
Pulido faces serious charges tied to the alleged offshore bribery network. In a related case, Alex Saab entered a guilty plea, agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, and is required to forfeit $195 million in criminal proceeds. Authorities indicate that Saab’s cooperation provides a “mountain of testimony” that will be used to pursue Pulido and other participants.
Upcoming court proceedings
Pulido’s initial federal court appearance is scheduled for early next week in Miami. Legal analysts note that the arraignment will likely open a high-profile trial that could expose further details of the alleged scheme and its impact on Venezuela’s public-sector contracts.