New PDVSA-related indictment unsealed

On February 26, 2019, the US Department of Justice announced that an indictment charging a former sales representative and the president of a US company with foreign bribery, wire fraud, and money laundering offenses in connection with a scheme to bribe officials of Venezuela’s state-controlled energy company, Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA), has been unsealed.  According to the indictment, the unlawful payments were made to the PDVSA officials to facilitate the award of PDVSA contracts, the payment of past due invoices, and the acquisition of inside information about PDVSA.  According to the indictments, the bribe money was paid to a Swiss bank account, and as part of the scheme the defendants themselves received kickbacks amounting to over $1 million.  This indictment brings to 21 the total number of individuals charged as part of the US government’s investigation into bribery at PDVSA.

DOJ press release | SD Texas press release | Indictment