Former Venezuelan Official Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering in Connection with Bribery Scheme

Luis Carlos De Leon-Perez, a dual U.S.-Venezuelan citizen, has pleaded guilty for his role in a scheme to bribe officials of Venezuela’s state energy company, Petroleos de Venezuela S.A., and for his role in an international money laundering scheme involving the bribes paid by the owners of U.S.-based companies to Venezuelan government officials, to secure energy contracts and payment priority on outstanding invoices.