Maduro-linked fugitive with $10M bounty captured after years on the run

A businessman sought for years by American law enforcement over allegations of bribing senior Venezuelan officials to win lucrative state contracts has been taken into U.S. custody.A Miami federal court indicted Alvaro Pulido in 2019 and 2021 as part of a broader probe into his long-standing business associate, Alex Saab, a former ally of ousted President Nicolás Maduro. A reward of up to $10 million had been offered by the U.S. State Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration for information leading to Pulido's arrest.Colombian businessman Alex Saab attends a news conference in December 2023 (Reuters)His capture followed an investigation led by the DEA, the FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations, Homeland Security Task Force spokesperson Nicole Navas Oxman announced on Sunday.Oxman provided no details on how Pulido came into U.S. hands, but noted that he is scheduled to make his initial court appearance in Miami on Tuesday.Venezuelan officials have so far remained silent regarding the arrest, reflecting the challenge acting President Delcy Rodríguez faces in appeasing elements of the ruling coalition. Those factions want her to resist attempts by the Trump administration to round up scores of Venezuelan insiders wanted by the U.S., in some cases for years, for serious crimes ranging from corruption to drug trafficking.The Colombian-born businessman was previously arrested in Venezuela in 2023 during a major anti-corruption drive within state oil company PDVSA. Rodríguez oversaw that initiative while serving as Maduro's vice president. She became acting president after the U.S. military ousted Maduro in January.Saab pictured with Venezuela’s former president Maduro in 2024 (AP)According to prosecutors, Pulido and Saab created a network of offshore shell companies to route bribes to top Maduro allies in exchange for contracts to import food, medicine, and low-cost housing during a period of widespread hardship in the country.Rodríguez deported Saab to the U.S. in May. He pleaded guilty last month in a related bribery case, agreeing to cooperate against Maduro and forfeit $195 million in criminal proceeds.