Case Detail

United States v. Raul Gorrin Belisario (S.D. Fla. 2018)
United States v. Alejandro Andrade Cedeno (S.D. Fla. 2017)
United States v. Gabriel Arturo Jimenez Aray (S.D. Fla. 2018)
United States v. Claudia Patricia Diaz Guillen (S.D. Fla. 2018)
United States v. Adrian Jose Velasquez Figueroa (S.D. Fla. 2018)


Case Details

  • Case Name
  • United States v. Raul Gorrin Belisario (S.D. Fla. 2018)
    United States v. Alejandro Andrade Cedeno (S.D. Fla. 2017)
    United States v. Gabriel Arturo Jimenez Aray (S.D. Fla. 2018)
    United States v. Claudia Patricia Diaz Guillen (S.D. Fla. 2018)
    United States v. Adrian Jose Velasquez Figueroa (S.D. Fla. 2018)
  • Date Filed
  • 08/16/2018
  • Enforcement Agency
  • DOJ
  • Foreign Official
  • Government officials in Venezuela with ties to the Venezuelan National Treasury.
  • Date of Conduct
  • 2007 to 2017
  • Nature of Business
  • Raul Gorrin Belisario is a citizen of Venezuela, who maintained a home in the United States.   

    Alejandro Andrade Cedeno, a Venezuelan citizen, was a former Venezuelan National Treasurer from 2007 to 2011. 

    Gabriel Arturo Jimenez Aray, a Venezuelan citizen, was a former owner of Banco Peravia bank in the Dominican Republic.

    Claudia Patricia Diaz Guillen, a Venezuelan citizen, served as the National Treasurer of Venezuela from 2011 to 2013.

    Adrian Jose Velasquez Figueroa, also a Venezuelan citizen, was the spouse of Guillen.

  • Influence to be Obtained
  • According to the DOJ, Gorrin made corrupt payments in the form of wire transfers and paid expenses related to jets, yachts, champion horses, and high-end watches to Venezuelan officials and their family members to obtain and retain the right to conduct foreign currency exchange transactions in Venezuela. Gorrin and co-conspirators allegedly used Banco Peravia, formerly owned by Jimenez, to launder bribe money and scheme proceeds to Venezuelan government officials. As Venezuelan National Treasurer, Andrade had the ability to influence and decide which brokerage houses received government business to conduct U.S. dollar to bolivar exchanges.

    Gorrin allegedly conspired with Andrade, and Jimenez to deliver the bribes. Gorrin allegedly paid bribes totaling around $159 million to foreign officials between 2008 and 2017 through three shell company bank accounts, as well as his personal Swiss bank account.

  • Enforcement
  • On August 16, 2018, the DOJ charged Gorrin with one count of conspiracy to violate the FCPA, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and nine counts of money laundering in violation of the FCPA, one for each wire transfer between the dates of November 2012 and June 2013. Gorrin appears to remain a fugitive. On December 15, 2020, the DOJ filed a superseding indictment against Gorrin.  His case is ongoing.

    Andrade and Jimenez were each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and ordered to forfeit their corrupt assets. Andrade and Jimenez pled guilty on December 22, 2017 and March 20, 2018, respectively. Andrade was sentenced on November 27, 2018 to ten years in prison. Jimenez was sentenced on November 29, 2018 to three years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

  • Amount of the Value
  • $159 million.
  • Amount of Business Related to Payment
  • Approx. $1 billion.
  • Intermediary
  • Shell Company.
  • Citizenship of Parent Entity
  • Venezuela
  • Compliance Monitor
  • No
  • Reporting Requirements
  • No
  • Case is Pending?
  • No

Defendants

Raul Gorrin Belisario

  • Citation
  • United States v. Gorrin Belisario., No. 1:18-cr-80160 (S.D. Fla. 2018)
  • Date Filed
  • 08/16/2018
  • Filed Under Seal
  • No
  • Date Case Was Unsealed
  • 08/16/2018
  • FCPA Statutory Provision
    • Anti-Bribery
    • Conspiracy
  • Other Statutory Provision
  • Conspiracy (Money Laundering); Money Laundering.
  • Disposition
  • Pending
  • Defendant Jurisdictional Basis
  • Domestic Concern
  • Defendant's Citizenship
  • Venezuela
  • Individual Sanction
  • Pending

Alejandro Andrade Cedeno

  • Citation
  • United States v. Andrade Cedeno, No. 17-cr-80242 (S.D. Fla. 2017)
  • Date Filed
  • 08/16/2018
  • Filed Under Seal
  • No
  • Date Case Was Unsealed
  • 08/16/2018
  • FCPA Statutory Provision
    • Anti-Bribery
    • Conspiracy
  • Other Statutory Provision
  • Conspiracy (Money Laundering); Money Laundering.
  • Disposition
  • Plea Agreement
  • Defendant Jurisdictional Basis
  • Domestic Concern
  • Defendant's Citizenship
  • Venezuela
  • Individual Sanction
  • 10-years imprisonment; forfeiture of $1 billion.

Gabriel Arturo Jimenez Aray

  • Citation
  • United States v. Jimenez Aray, No. 18-cr-80054 (S.D. Fla. 2018)
  • Date Filed
  • 08/16/2018
  • Filed Under Seal
  • No
  • Date Case Was Unsealed
  • 08/16/2018
  • FCPA Statutory Provision
    • Anti-Bribery
    • Conspiracy
  • Other Statutory Provision
  • Conspiracy (Money Laundering); Money Laundering
  • Disposition
  • Plea Agreement
  • Defendant Jurisdictional Basis
  • Domestic Concern
  • Defendant's Citizenship
  • Venezuela
  • Individual Sanction
  • 3-years imprisonment; forfeiture of $38 million.

Claudia Patricia Diaz Guillen

  • Citation
  • United States v. Claudia Patricia Diaz Guillen, No. 1:18-cr-80160 (S.D. Fla. 2018).
  • Date Filed
  • 08/16/2018
  • Filed Under Seal
  • No
  • FCPA Statutory Provision
    • Anti-Bribery
    • Conspiracy
  • Other Statutory Provision
  • Conspiracy (Money Laundering); Money Laundering.
  • Disposition
  • Pending, Pending
  • Defendant Jurisdictional Basis
  • Domestic Concern
  • Defendant's Citizenship
  • Venezuela
  • Individual Sanction
  • Pending.

Adrian Jose Velasquez Figueroa

  • Citation
  • United States v. Adrian Jose Velasquez Figueroa, No. 1:18-cr-80160 (S.D. Fla. 2018).
  • Date Filed
  • 08/16/2018
  • Filed Under Seal
  • No
  • FCPA Statutory Provision
    • Anti-Bribery
    • Conspiracy
  • Other Statutory Provision
  • Conspiracy (Money Laundering); Money Laundering.
  • Disposition
  • Pending, Pending
  • Defendant Jurisdictional Basis
  • Domestic Concern
  • Defendant's Citizenship
  • Venezuela
  • Individual Sanction
  • Pending.
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