The defense insisted that Saab, 49, is a Venezuelan diplomat with immunity.
The Colombian-Venezuelan businessman Álex Saab, alleged front man of the president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, pleaded this Monday in a US federal court not guilty of a charge of money laundering.
In a brief hearing of about 15 minutes held today in federal court in Miami before Magistrate Robert N. Scola Jr., on the occasion of the formal arraignment, the defense insisted that Saab, 49, is a Venezuelan diplomat. with immunity.
After more than a year of arrest in Cape Verde, Saab was extradited to the United States on October 16 to respond to a money laundering case linked to the Local Supply and Production Committees of Venezuela (CLAP), a system created by President Nicolás Maduro in 2016 and that the US Treasury Department indicates to be a scheme for the businessman to obtain “substantial profits.”
Saab, who appeared in a beige jumpsuit, faces a sentence of about 20 years if convicted of the only count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, a penalty that can be reduced if an agreement is reached with the Prosecutor’s Office, which usually includes denouncing other accomplices.
Two weeks ago, Judge Scola, who will continue to lead this case, dismissed seven counts of money laundering against the defendant.
The reduction of charges was part of the extradition agreement with the Government of Cape Verde so that, in case he is found guilty, the sentence does not exceed the one he would have had in that African country.
Today’s hearing was open to the press, as requested by the Prosecutor’s Office under the argument that the case is in the “public interest”, and after Saab’s defense requested that access to the media be limited to prevent photos of the accused being taken, as happened in the first hearing held on October 18.
Violation of broadcasting of audience images
As part of the motion, Saab had attached an annex with the list of people and media that allegedly violated Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, which prohibits the taking and dissemination of images obtained during hearings in the Southern District of Florida, and requested an investigation.
Before Alex Saab’s defense request not to take photos and limit access to a hearing, the US Attorney’s Office opposes a possible closure to the public
In response to this, last week, Judge Scola ordered the United States Attorney’s Office to investigate the media that illegally took and published photos at said hearing held by Zoom.
Scola stressed that he will not limit online hearings as requested by the defense, but said he has the “intention” to hold the next court hearings in person to avoid these problems and taking into account that the incidence of the pandemic has dropped in Florida.
In this way, the judge specified in a ruling to which Efe had access that “it grants in part and denies in part” the motion presented by Saab regarding the images taken, which were later published in the media and social networks despite the fact that it is illegal. (I)
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