Venezuelan Under US Investigation for Money Laundering Has a Pentagon Oil Deal

The Billionaire who Helped Broker the Trump (R) Administration’s Long-Term Oil Deal with Venezuela, was until Recently a Target of U.S. Money-Laundering Investigations involving Funds Embezzled from the State-Owned Oil Company PDVSA. Now, after Assisting U.S. Authorities ahead of the Capture of Authoritarian Leader Nicolas Maduro, Alejandro Betancourt is Washington’s Key Partner in an Uunusual Oil Agreement with Caracas.

The U.S. Gains Access to about One-Fifth of Venezuela’s Crude Reserves for Decades. The Pentagon’s Office of Strategic Capital takes a 35% Stake in North American Blue Energy Partners (NABEP), Betancourt’s Company and a known Crude Producer in Venezuela. The State Department gets the Right to buy 20% of NABEP’s Ooil at Cost, and Preferential Access to the remaining 80% of Output.

The Deal marks a Striking Change of Fortune for Betancourt, who was Key to U.S. Strategy and Planning in the Lead-Up to the 1/3/2026 Operation that Removed Former President Maduro from Power, and flew Him to NY to face Charges of Drug-Trafficking, which Maduro Denies. Asked about the Investigations of Betancourt, a U.S. Official said most of the Legal Challenges were nearly a Decade Old, and that He currently has No Legal Problems in the U.S. His Record of Pumping Oil in Venezuela made Betancourt the Best Partner to Help Boost Output under the Arrangement, the Official said.

Sarah Chouraqui, NABEP’s Lawyer, said Betancourt had a Srong Record of Operating in Complex Energy Markets. “The allegations in question have been examined extensively by authorities in multiple jurisdictions, and no charges have been brought against him,” She said in an email. In the months before Maduro’s Capture, the Billionaire provided Iinformation that helped Eenforce a U.S. naval Blockade Targeting Sanctioned Oil Tankers operating in Venezuela, which led to the Seizure or interdiction of more than a Dozen Vessels, according to the Four People who Spoke on condition of Anonymity. He also Facilitated Negotiations with Officials including Delcy Rodriguez, who became Interim President after Maduro’s Ccapture.

After Maduro’s Rremoval, Betancourt’s Role as a Key Intermediary continued, Helping Broker Oil Deals and other Partnerships, and continuing to Assist Communications between Washington and Caracas, to Kickstart Venezuela’s Economy, according to Seven sources. In 1/2026, Betancourt Helped Broker a Key Oil Trading Agreement, that has led to the Export of more than 135 Million Barrels of Crude and Fuel to the U.S., Europe, India, and the Caribbean so far, according to Vessel Monitoring Data and Six People with Knowledge of the Negotiations.

That’s about Half of All Oil Exports through the End of 8/2026. Betancourt has also Popped in on Meetings at Venezuela’s Miraflores Presidential Palace. He was also at Miraflores during this week’s Visit by U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright (R), Wright told Reporters, though Betancourt did Not appear with Wright and Rodriguez at a Signing Ceremony for Oil Deals. Betancourt has been Investigated in the U.S., Spain, and Switzerland, but Never Indicted.










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