Moris Beracha
When the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) began reporting on offshore connections among the world’s elites, the $500+ million Ponzi scheme orchestrated by Francisco Illarramendi came to light. One of those implicated, ‘banker’ Moris Beracha, took issue with the ICIJ, claiming they “did not do an investigative journalism job and ignored information” he provided. Beracha was correct; the Illarramendi case had already been in the spotlight, and the ICIJ offered no new insights. Additionally, there is a significant conflict of interest: Beracha and David Osio (another figure in the scandal) have been clients of FTI Consulting, linked to the receiver. However, Beracha’s response surprised me, prompting me to reach out to him on Twitter. To my amazement, Beracha replied, and below is our exchange.
From: [email protected]
Subject: Reff diego arria.
Date: 12 April 2013 17:07:24 BST
To: [email protected]
Reply-To: [email protected]
My name is Moris Beracha. My good friend Diego Arria mentioned that he is a close friend of yours and wants to intruduce me to you. As you know, he is quite occupied in Venezuela with the upcoming elections this Sunday.
I would like to introduce myself, as Diego can confirm, I am a businessman and have operated in the financial market for over 25 years.
I owned a broker dealer in NY from 1989 until 2003 named Westfalia Investment and a broker dealer in Venezuela since 1990, called Bestinvest.
I can assure you that I am a very honorable person who always conducts my business with transparency and adheres to the regulations of the markets in which I operate.
I have faced attacks from media and journalists in Venezuela who write false claims, most of them anonymous, merely attempting to extort money from me, which I have never accepted. My philosophy is to never dismiss a lie, as it is simply that—a lie (mentira).
Concerning the Illarramendi case, the contents of my letter to respond to the ICIJ are entirely true, and I cannot comprehend the dark intentions behind publishing something that is false and does not reflect the information I provided them.
I would be more than happy to talk to you whenever you wish, asking that you keep this email private and off the record. My only goal is for you to truly understand who I am and the injustice I face in the Illarramendi case, where I am a victim of fraud.
I just wanted to touch base with you beforehand, knowing Diego is extremely busy until Sunday.
I look forward to meeting or talking with you at your convenience.
My email address is [email protected].
All the best
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
From: Alek Boyd [email protected]>
Subject: Re: Reff diego arria.
Date: 20 April 2013 09:50:54 BST
To: [email protected]
Cc: [email protected]
Dear Mr. Beracha,
Thank you for reaching out, and please accept my apologies for the delayed response.
Firstly, I must clarify that, over nearly a decade of blogging about Venezuela, extortion has never been my motivation. Those familiar with me will attest to my integrity, which is beyond reproach in the moral chaos that is Venezuela.
Secondly, I have been researching, cataloging, and documenting corruption in Venezuela for many years. In this regard, I take pride in having exposed several key individuals: Eva Golinger, the Venezuelan Information Office and its paid allies, Smartmatic, North American Opinion Research, Majed Khalil, Gemalto, Williams – PDVSA deal, Petropar, Marcelo Barone, and more recently, the criminals behind Derwick Associates.
Given this background, I have taken a vested interest in the Illarramendi case, where you appear to play a significant role as Illarramendi’s intermediary. I have reviewed nearly all related materials and found that you participated in operations that weren’t quite ethical. This has motivated me to delve deeper into your companies, connections, and business associates, including David Osio, who is also a focus of my investigations. Currently, I’m compiling information, verifying claims, and will process and publish this data.
You claim to be an honorable person. As someone who also values honor, I presume you will have nothing to conceal, and I would like to send a set of detailed questions regarding your business structure, operations across various jurisdictions, associates both locally and internationally, returns, and relationships with Venezuelan PEPs. My aim is to determine if you may have inadvertently participated in siphoning off money from Venezuela, money laundering, racketeering, and aiding wanted individuals.
Your assistance in this matter would be much appreciated, as I am in the process of authoring a book about Hugo Chavez’s legacy, in which the “Boliburguesia” will be a key component.
Best wishes,
Alek Boyd
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Reff diego arria.
Date: 30 April 2013 14:17:18 BST
To: «Alek Boyd» [email protected]>
Reply-To: [email protected]
Dear Mr. Boyd,
Thank you for your response, and for noting that you are also an honorable individual. Firstly, I assure you that all my business dealings are legitimate. It is incorrect to label my operations, currently under investigation, as “not strictly kosher.” Every transaction is transparent and complies with the regulations of the jurisdictions in which they occur.
Regarding the questions you mentioned, at this moment I cannot respond to any documents. While I have nothing to hide, my legal counsel has advised me against providing any new statements, as they may impact the ongoing investigation. This is a complex case requiring thorough and unbiased evidence collection. My sole objective is to clear my name of any unfounded allegations and restore my much-needed peace, which has been deeply affected—not only for me but also for my wife, children, family, and friends.
On another note, I can briefly address your comments from your last email. Regarding Mr. Francisco Illarramendi, all I can say is that this information is now public and available through interviews conducted in recent months.
As for David Osío and Davos, I must clarify that Mr. Osío has never been my business partner. We have not engaged in any business together, either with Davos or any other company. Moreover, the mention of Davos in the ongoing investigation is not directly related to me. The forthcoming court decisions will prove that I am telling the truth, and I’m confident you will not discover any transactions involving Davos connected to me, simply because they do not exist.
I regret that I can’t provide more details, but what matters most right now is the satisfactory progression of this case.
Very truly,
Moris Beracha
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
—-End of email exchange—-
TBC…