Recent investigations by Europol into alleged financial fraud involving Roberto Añez and his partner Jesús Vergara Betancourt have taken a shocking turn. Jesús Vergara was arrested in Madrid by Europol, and new evidence has prompted authorities to include Aleczander Añez, son of Roberto Añez, as one of the individuals under investigation in this case.
Aleczander Añez is accused of being the sole administrator of a sophisticated cryptocurrency scam that allegedly defrauded unsuspecting investors of an astonishing $100 million. This scam is suspected to have been executed through an investment platform in cryptocurrency operated by Añez and Vergara.
However, the most surprising aspect of this case is the fate of the defrauded funds. A significant portion of the $100 million has been found to have been liquidated by the National Superintendency of Crypto Assets and Related Activities of Venezuela (Sunacrip). Initially, these funds were intended for investment in Avior Airlines, a Venezuelan airline owned by Roberto Añez and his brother Jorge Añez. However, it has now been revealed that the planned investment did not occur.
Instead of investing the funds in Avior Airlines, the airline benefited from a 50% discount in the liquidation of the funds. This finding raises questions about the transparency of the operation and the potential existence of complicity among those involved in the case.
Aleczander Añez serves as president of MWC Charter & Concierge, a company specializing in organizing luxurious vacations, private jets, and yachts for individuals linked to Nicolás Maduro’s government. Additionally, another of his companies, Miami Luxury Yacht Group, manages the purchase, sale, and vacations on yachts that are often used by high-ranking officials of the Chavismo regime.
Regarding the arrest of Jesús Vergara, the Colombian-Venezuelan was detained this month at Madrid’s Barajas Airport as a result of an investigation by Europol. Vergara had been conducting business through his company with entities of the Venezuelan government, such as the Venezuelan Corporation of Guayana (CVG), Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), and the dismantled National Superintendency of Crypto Assets (Sunacrip).
Vergara Betancourt had previously been detained in Venezuela on June 13, 2020, by agents of the Military Counterintelligence Directorate (DGCIM) along with his partners. They were taken to a court in Caracas and faced charges of aggravated fraud and conspiracy.
The El Pitazo portal reported that the arrest was due to an investigation that had been stalled since 2012 because of payment defaults by his companies to institutions with which he maintained financial ties, such as CVG and PDVSA. After that incident, Jesús Vergara Betancourt remained in hiding until his name was linked to the PDVSA-Crypto case and he was requested for his alleged involvement in this scheme.
According to journalist Casto Ocando, the 73rd Prosecutor’s Office of the Metropolitan Area of Caracas issued search requests against Vergara to Interpol and Europol, with the latter agency ultimately making the arrest. Other names sought in this group have not yet been captured.
In 2011, a note published accused Jesús Alfredo Vergara of leading a purported cartel known as the “Narcos Alumineros” of the Orinoco Cartel, using aluminum as a front to legitimize capital and allegedly involved in drug trafficking outside of Venezuela. It was claimed that he held bank accounts in tax havens with more than $200 million.