Fugitive businessman taken into US custody in Venezuela bribery case

Alvaro Pulido, a businessman wanted in the United States for allegedly bribing high-ranking Venezuelan officials, has been taken into custody. According to The Guardian and Hindustan Times - World News, Pulido was indicted in Miami federal court in 2019 and 2021. The indictments were part of an investigation into his longtime business partner, Alex Saab, a former ally of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The charges involve paying bribes in exchange for lucrative state contracts.

The Hindustan Times - World News reports that Pulido was apprehended following an investigation by the DEA, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations agencies. While a Homeland Security Task Force spokesperson did not specify how Pulido entered U.S. custody, it was noted that he is scheduled for an initial court appearance in Miami on Tuesday.

Both The Guardian and Hindustan Times - World News state that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the State Department had previously offered a reward of up to $10 million for information resulting in his arrest.

Attorney General Todd Blanche stated in a social media post on Sunday that Pulido's alleged actions exploited the American financial system and corrupted government programs meant to provide housing, medicine, and food for personal enrichment.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Guardian, The Guardian US, Hindustan Times - World News — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.