Image: U.S. Department of Justice (Public domain)
Nationality: VE
Legal status
Maikel Moreno
Profile
Maikel Jose Moreno Perez (b. 1965) is a Venezuelan lawyer and judge. He served as president of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) from February 2017 to April 2022, a period in which the TSJ issued rulings that, according to critics and U.S. prosecutors, consolidated the Executive's control over the Venezuelan judiciary and allowed Maduro to rule by decree.[ofac-2017-05-18-tsj]
OFAC sanctions
On 18 May 2017 the U.S. Treasury's OFAC sanctioned Moreno and seven justices of the TSJ Constitutional Chamber under Executive Order 13692, alleging that they had usurped the functions of the National Assembly, controlled by the opposition since January 2016. The designees' U.S.-jurisdiction assets were frozen and U.S. persons were prohibited from transacting with them.[ofac-2017-05-18-tsj]
Florida indictment
On 12 March 2020, two weeks before the main DOJ package against the Cartel de los Soles, the Southern District of Florida charged Moreno with international money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Prosecutors allege that Moreno accepted bribes in exchange for specific judicial actions, such as dismissing cases or releasing defendants, and laundered the proceeds to sustain "an expensive American lifestyle". Among the described facts, prosecutors say he authorised the seizure of a General Motors plant in Venezuela in exchange for a kickback, leaving thousands of workers jobless.[doj-2020-03-26-indictment]
On 21 July 2020, the State Department announced a USD 5 million reward for information leading to his arrest or conviction, under its Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program.[doj-2020-03-26-indictment]
Subsequent status
Moreno was replaced in April 2022 by Justice Gladys Gutierrez as TSJ president. He remains in Venezuela. He has rejected the accusations as "cowardly and unfounded".
Reference status
The administrative sanctions remain in force. The Florida criminal indictment is a prosecutorial allegation pending a final judgment.[ofac-2017-05-18-tsj][doj-2020-03-26-indictment]
Citations