10 Charged With Violating US Sanctions by Shipping Aircraft Parts to Venezuela

DOJ charged 10 individuals with conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions on Venezuelan state-owned oil company Petroleos de Venezuela by shipping aircraft parts to service the company's fleet in Venezuela.

An indictment charging the individuals was unsealed April 22, charging four individuals linked with Petroleos de Venezuela, four individuals linked with Costa Rican company Novax Group and two individuals associated with Spanish company Aerofalcon.

From 2019 to 2021, the defendants allegedly devised a scheme to illegally buy aircraft parts from the U.S., including Honeywell Turbofan Engines, to send to Petroleos de Venezuela. The individuals allegedly first exported the goods, in violation of U.S. export controls, to third parties in other countries, including Novax Group and Aerofalcon. From there, the aircraft parts were sent to Venezuela.

All 10 individuals are charged with conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and face a maximum 20-year prison stint. Five of the individuals -- three of them associated with Novax and two associated with Aerofalcon -- are also charged with "submitting false or misleading export information and smuggling of goods, which respectively carry maximum penalties of five and 10 years in prison," DOJ said.