MIAMI (AP) — Alvaro Pulido, a Colombian businessman wanted for years on federal bribery charges, was taken into U.S. custody on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. Nicole Navas Oxman, a spokesperson for a Homeland Security Task Force, confirmed the arrest following a joint investigation by the DEA, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations. Pulido is scheduled to make his first appearance in a Miami federal court on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026.
Pulido was first indicted in Miami in 2019 and again in 2021. The U.S. State Department and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) had previously offered a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to his arrest. The charges stem from an investigation into Pulido’s business partner, Alex Saab, a one-time ally of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Prosecutors allege that Pulido and Saab utilized a network of offshore shell companies to funnel bribes to top Maduro allies. These payments were reportedly made to secure government contracts for importing food, medicine, and low-cost housing. While Pulido remained a fugitive for several years, he was arrested by Venezuelan authorities in 2023 during a crackdown on corruption inside the state-run oil company, PDVSA.
This case affects current and former Venezuelan government officials and their business associates who are under investigation by the U.S. for corruption and money laundering. The legal proceedings involve the forfeiture of assets, such as the $195 million in criminal proceeds Alex Saab agreed to surrender last month. For the general public in Venezuela, the case highlights the mechanics of how state funds intended for food and medicine were allegedly diverted through offshore accounts during periods of economic hardship.
The transfer of Pulido to U.S. custody follows the January ouster of Nicolás Maduro by the U.S. military. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who previously oversaw the domestic crackdown that led to Pulido’s 2023 arrest, now faces pressure from coalition members who want her to resist attempts by the Trump administration to round up Venezuelan insiders wanted by the U.S. The cooperation of Pulido’s partner, Alex Saab, who agreed to provide information against Maduro and others as part of his guilty plea in September, establishes a precedent for testimony in federal corruption cases involving South American state enterprises.
The next step in the legal process is Pulido’s initial court appearance in Miami on Tuesday. At that hearing, the court will address the specific charges and the terms of his detention. It is not yet known how Pulido was transferred to U.S. custody, as the Homeland Security Task Force did not disclose the method of his apprehension or the exact location where he was handed over to federal agents.