Mackel Moreno, who was the president of Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) Venezuela and is currently a Court Magistrate, was charged this Thursday, January 26, with alleged money laundering. Court of Miami, Florida in the United States.
Moreno is a member of the TSJ’s Criminal Chamber, and since his appointment to the country’s highest court, the NGO Acceso a la Justicia has warned that, like other magistrates, does not meet With the requirements of exercising the office for honor and dignity.
were magistrates Bound On two occasions of homicide, one in 1987 and one in 1989, while he was working in the Political Police (Discip) in the state of Bolivar and Caracas. In fact, he was in prison, but according to the NGO, “dubious procedural advantages” allowed him to be released.
After indictment issued by Miami court, we leave five the keys on the case:
1. What are they accusing Moreno of?
they were accused money laundering with respect to a the thigh The US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida reported that according to the court, he had to use the bribe payments he received to influence judicial decisions.
Moreno, 57, was charged with one count conspiracy for committing money laundering, one count of concealing money laundering and two counts of engaging in criminal property transactions.
2. What the Southern District Attorney’s Office Said
A statement from the federal prosecutor’s office confirms that Moreno allegedly received some hundred million dollars in bribes between 2014 and 2019.
The document indicates that with that money the magistrate would have bought expensive estate In various locations such as Tuscany (Italy) and Miami (USA). In addition to the one in Las Mercedes, in Caracas.
“During his tenure on the Supreme Court, Moreno received Bribe “In exchange for influencing the proceedings of the criminal case, including the dismissal of criminal charges and the issuance of arrest warrants or house arrest orders for the defendants,” the prosecutor’s office said.
3. What did he do in front of TSJ
According to court documents, as a holder of TSJ, Moreno allegedly had authority To determine the panel of judges who will hear cases in that jurisdiction and the power to appoint or remove judges of lower courts.
We suggest you: Know about the Chief TSJ Magistrates appointed by the National Assembly on 6 December
The US Attorney’s Office indicated in a note published on the night of this Thursday, January 26, that the money he collected during that time was mainly the product of bribes. contractors Venezuelans who received contracts from entities owned by the Venezuelan government.
What does General Motors have to do with this?
The US justice system assured that during his tenure as head of the Supreme Court, Moreno would have agreed to authorize the judicial seizure of an automotive plant. General Motors, approximately $100 million, in the midst of a civil dispute “in return for a percentage of profit sharing from the sale of the plant.”
Moreno’s alleged assets
Among the properties he acquired or renovated with the money from these alleged bribes is a villa tuscany For 2.4 million euros, a luxury villa in La Romana (Dominican Republic) for $1.5 million, a building in Las Mercedes (Caracas, Venezuela) for $1.3 million and an apartment in Miami for $1.3 million.
Moreno was re-elected to head the TSJ in February 2021, but is no longer president of the court, which is now presided over by Magistrate Gladys Gutierrez.
Since 2017, Moreno and seven TSJ magistrates have been sanctioned by the United States Department of the Treasury. In 2020, the US Department of Justice offered a $5 million reward to anyone providing information allowing Moreno’s capture.
In September 2020, the European Union refurbished sanctions against moreno
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