Message to INFODIO readers: investigative journalism, which is what this site does, takes lots of time and effort. Visiting media looking for a quick run down on Venezuela's gargantuan corruption, pls have the decency to at least cite the source when plagiarising this site's content without attribution (exhibit Reuters here, exhibit Bloomberg here, exhibit OCCRP here). To all readers: do the right thing, the honest thing, support independent investigative journalism. Note added 28/06/2021: impostors are using INFODIO's former editor's full name, and a fake email address (alek.boyd.arregui at gmail.com) to send copyright infringement claims / take down requests to web hosting companies. The attempt is yet another effort paid by corrupt thugs to erase information about their criminal activities. Infodio.com has no issues with other websites / journalists using / posting information published here, so long as the source is properly cited. Note added 12/06/2026: infodio.com has not created mirror websites / domains and remains totally independent and unrelated to others. Beware of websites using our brand.
A penal court in Geneva has ruled in favour of PDVSA in case brought against Helsinge, according to sources. A criminal investigation was launched in early March this year, following complaint filed on 13 February with Geneva's Public Prosecutor's Office by Swiss law firm Canonica Valticos de Preux. It remains to be seen how the ruling will affect energy trading houses Glencore, Trafigura, Vitol, Lukoil and others involved with Helsinge, and indeed the Florida case of PDVSA US litigation Trust.
A source has informed this site that Pedro Binaggia, banker to fugitive Francisco Convit in a $1.2 billion money laundering scheme centered at PDVSA, was instrumental -in bringing to Switzerland's bank EFG International- as much as $1.5 billion as part of a previous money laundering exercise, involving PDVSA, Rafael Ramirez, Juan Andres Wallis, Danilo Diazgranados, Nervis Villa
The U.S. Deparment of Justice announced yesterday that Abraham Ortega, a former PDVSA finance exec, pleaded guilty: "Former Executive Director at Venezuelan State-Owned Oil Company, Petroleos De Venezuela, S.A., Pleads Guilty to Role in Billion-Dollar Money Laundering Conspiracy" A Factual Profer of case (1:18-cr-20685-KMW) was released with the announcement (see below).
Rafael Ramirez, the man who squandered through nepotism and graft schemes the largest amount of income that Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) has ever seen / will ever see, is challenging other chavistas to debate about corruption. Seriously.
Further to embezzlement of $1.2 billion from PDVSA, for which U.S. Department of Justice indicted Francisco Convit and Matthias Krull, the full list of named conspirators (see below) has been leaked to this site. Expectedly Derwick Associates execs are all involved, as well as other equally criminal Venezuelan "businessmen", PDVSA officials and, even, Nicolas Maduro.
Brazil's Estadao reported yesterday that Switzerland Prosecutor's Office will send to the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) banking information related to payment of $160 million worth of bribes to five PDVSA officials.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Rafael Ramirez, former concurrent Energy Minister and CEO of Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), basically managed Venezuela's income between 2004-2014. While at the helm of PDVSA, over $1.2 trillion got past his hands. Ramirez is even on the record, admitting that he oversaw transfers between PDVSA and the Venezuelan State worth some $480 billion.
If there was ever a need for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to cement his bruttish image, the announcement of two days ago, regarding fresh deals to ramp up oil production between PDVSA and Well Services Cavallino C.A; Petro Kariña C.A.; Helios Petroleum Services C.A.; Shandong Kerui Group; Consorcio Rinoca Centauro Karina; Consorcio Petrolero Tomoporo and Venenca, did the tric
A source with an intriguing tale of corruption brings me back to corruption issues. For a long while, PDVSA was LatAm’s largest energy conglomerate. Oilmen from Venezuela have spread far and wide since Hugo Chavez’s 1998 electoral victory.