DOJ charges 5 with money laundering in alleged Venezuela bribery scheme

• The defendants and their co-conspirators "knowingly inflated the costs of the contracts to pay the bribes and unjustly enrich themselves," the DOJ said.
• They allegedly received nearly $1.6 million from the Republic of Venezuela and transferred nearly $180 million through or to the United States, according to the DOJ.

Details: The five include three Colombian nationals — Alvaro Pulido Vargas, Carlos Rolando Lizcano Manrique and Emmanuel Enrique Rubio Gonzalez — as well as two Venezuelan nationals — Jose Gregorio Vielma-Mora and Ana Guillermo Luis.

• Each person is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and four counts of money laundering.
• If convicted, they each face a maximum of 100 years in prison, according to the DOJ's statement.