Man sentenced to 30 months in prison for evading US sanctions on Venezuela
MIAMI - A Venezuelan national has been sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release in a scheme to evade U.S. sanctions on that South American nation.
The case against George Semerene Quintero, 61, marks a significant enforcement action against efforts to bypass sanctions on the Venezuelan regime under Nicolás Maduro.
According to court records, Semerene, a Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PdVSA) procurement employee and his associates illegally acquired U.S. aircraft parts, including bearings and rudder components and concealed that PdVSA was the intended recipient by using third-party companies in Costa Rica and Spain.
Prosecutors said the group falsified customs forms, created fake end-user certificates, and used freight forwarders in Florida to ship parts to Venezuela.
"This prosecution reflects our commitment to enforcing sanctions to protect national security," said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe. "Semerene conspired to funnel parts to aid Maduro's regime," added Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen.
The indictment, unsealed in April after Semerene's arrest in the U.S., also charged nine co-defendants.
Semerene pleaded guilty in August, admitting to deceiving U.S. suppliers and evading export controls.