Ex-officials at Venezuela's PDVSA pleaded guilty in bribe case: U.S.
Source: Reuters
Three former officials at Venezuela's state oil company have pleaded guilty to U.S. charges related to a scheme by two businessmen to corruptly secure energy contracts, the U.S. Justice Department said on Wednesday.
The former officials at Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) pleaded guilty under seal in December to conspiracy to commit money laundering. Their pleas were unsealed by a federal judge in Houston on Tuesday.
The ex-PDVSA officials are Jose Luis Ramos Castillo, 38; Christian Javier Maldonado Barillas, 39; and Alfonzo Eliezer Gravina Munoz, 53.
The U.S. Justice Department said each has admitted to accepting bribes from two Venezuelan businessmen, Roberto Rincon and Abraham Jose Shiera Bastidas, who were charged in December with violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/ex-officials-venezuelas-pdvsa-pleaded-guilty-bribe-case-150438227.html
Another nefarious US conspiracy to besmirch Venezuela is working as planned. No doubt those guilty pleas were coerced.
