Two sources told Reuters-like outlets that senior US officials intervened in an
international criminal probe of Alejandro Betancourt, a UK-based Venezuelan
businessman recruited by the Trump administration to help secure influence over
Venezuela’s government and oil sector. US officials lobbied Swiss authorities to
resolve the case in a way that would avoid criminal charges and lift his travel
restrictions, and the US did not execute a Swiss arrest warrant. Betancourt was
reportedly allowed repeated entries to the US to meet Trump administration
officials. He has faced investigations in Switzerland, Spain and the US on
alleged money laundering, including a loan arrangement US prosecutors say
diverted more than $1 bln from Venezuela’s state oil company.
