The trial judge in the Miami Federal case against ALEX NAIN SAAB MORAN has unsealed filings that detail the undercover assistance that Saab Moran rendered to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) before he was indicted for money laundering. Saab disgorged several million dollars in illicit profits, and reportedly gave incriminating evidence against more than thirty co-conspirators, located in Antigua, Dominica and Malta. Several of these targets are said to be extremely worried that Saab has allegedly implicated them, the financial services entities that they employed in a transnational racketeering enterprise.
In Antigua, where Saab owned an offshore bank, and laundered Venezuelan criminal proceeds through one of the country's most prominent local banks, he was given quasi-diplomatic status, as an economic advisor, by the Browne government. In Dominica he owned two offshore banks, and assisted Venezuelan nationals in moving stolen funds abroad. In Malta, Saab and his financial partner owned and controlled two offshore entities, and used local professionals and government officials to assist in the laundering of over one hundred million dollars.
GASTON BROWNE OF ANTIGUA
Of late, there have been a number of sealed filings in Saab's case, leading the presumption that there may be Grand Jury testimony, and sealed indictments filed, against the targets named by Saab. Given that the case, to date, only has Saab as the sole defendant, the only reason for sealed pleading would appear to be to conceal whom the targets are, to prevent them from flight to avoid prosecution, or transfer of criminal proceeds to remote jurisdictions.
Notwithstanding that the 16 February hearing was to set the trial date, the fact that this did not occur leads one to believe that the Government still requires more negotiations with Saab, regarding his plea agreement.
Contributed By Kenneth Rijock - Financial Crime Consultant
Chronicles of Monte Friesner - Financial Intelligence Analyst