United States Takes Action Against Nicolás Maduro

News Americas, New York, NY, Mon. Sept. 2, 2024: The United States has seized a Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft that was owned and operated for the benefit of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro Moros and his affiliates. The aircraft, which was illegally exported from the United States, was apprehended in the Dominican Republic and subsequently transferred to the Southern District of Florida at the request of U.S. authorities. This action was based on violations of U.S. export control and sanctions laws.

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced the seizure, stating, “This morning, the Justice Department seized an aircraft we allege was illegally purchased for $13 million through a shell company and smuggled out of the United States for use by Nicolás Maduro and his cronies. The Department will continue to pursue those who violate our sanctions and export controls to prevent them from using American resources to undermine the national security of the United States.”

Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod added, “Let this seizure send a clear message: aircraft illegally acquired from the United States for the benefit of sanctioned Venezuelan officials cannot just fly off into the sunset.”

The U.S. investigation revealed that in late 2022 and early 2023, individuals linked to Maduro used a Caribbean-based shell company to conceal their involvement in the illegal purchase of the Dassault Falcon 900EX, valued at approximately $13 million, from a company in the Southern District of Florida. The aircraft was illegally exported from the U.S. to Venezuela via the Caribbean in April 2023. Since May 2023, it has primarily flown to and from a military base in Venezuela, where it has been used to transport Maduro on international trips.

U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida emphasized the significance of the seizure, highlighting the collaboration between U.S. authorities and the Dominican Republic in this operation. “Our office, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to work to forfeit this plane and all other assets that circumvent the law,” Lapointe said.

The Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security Miami Field Office, along with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the HSI El Dorado Task Force Miami, are leading the investigation. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Paster and Jorge Delgado for the Southern District of Florida, with assistance from the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

The U.S. expressed gratitude to the Dominican Republic for its assistance in this matter, underscoring the international cooperation involved in enforcing U.S. sanctions and export control laws.

The Venezuelan government has called the act “piracy.”