ALEX SAAB MORAN's "dream team" of experienced American attorneys has filed an extensive Motion to Dismiss for their client, in a direct challenge to the position of the US Department of Justice on Moran's status as a diplomat from Venezuela. The issue is whether an international money launderer for a rogue state can evade accountability for his crimes by claiming Diplomatic Immunity, when that status is contested. The case, which was remanded back to the District Court from the Fifth Circuit, has proven to be one of great public interest. Can an individual accused of being a sophisticated white collar criminal shield himself through what the United States considers bogus diplomatic status?
Saab's massive (39 page) Motion to Dismiss, with 43 exhibits and 5 attachments, seeks to extensively document his diplomatic status through a large number of affidavits, mainly from Venezuelan sources, which may render them suspect, and which purport to establish a long track record as a "Special Envoy" to the Government of Venezuela. Defence counsel clearly has documented, or possibly created, extensive evidence in support of their motion, leaving to the Court to sort out the truth and accuracy of their information.
The defendant is charged with being a major transnational money launderer, who allegedly moved and cleaned many millions of US dollars for a wide variety of clients, many of whom were senior Venezuelan officials, and corrupt Politically Exposed Persons ( PEPs) acting on their behalf, including the laundering of narco-profits. It appears that he originally sought to settle, and mitigate, his exposure through an arrangement with US law enforcement, but he later reneged upon the agreement, and here seeks immunity from prosecution.
When the Department of Justice and the US Attorney's Office in the Southern District responds on the merits of the motion, we shall details their position on this blog; stay tuned.
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