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US Sanctions Venezuelans for Alleged Participation in Currency Scheme

by VOA News

   The United States has imposed sanctions on seven Venezuelans for
   allegedly stealing billions of government dollars through corrupt
   currency transactions.

   Among those targeted are former Venezuelan treasurer Claudia Patricia
   Diaz Guillen and Raul Gorrin, the owner of Globovision, Venezuela's
   largest private broadcaster.

   Prosecutors in the southeastern U.S. city of Miami indicted Gorrin last
   year for allegedly bribing Venezuela treasury officials to buy dollars
   at a distorted exchange rate and reselling them on the black market for
   big gains.

   U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Tuesday the deals carried
   out through the currency exchange were part of another illegal scheme
   the Venezuelan government had long used to steal from its citizens.

   The U.S. Treasury Department announced the sanctions Tuesday, just days
   before Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is to be sworn in for a new
   term in office after a disputed election.

   Investigators allege 23 groups were part of the scheme, including Magus
   Holdings in Miami and Tindaya Properties in New York.