Daniel S. Kahn, Acting Chief, Fraud Section, Criminal Division
Andrey Spektor, Assistant United States Attorney
US Assisting Agencies: Unknown
Foreign Enforcement Action/Investigation: Unknown
Foreign Assisting Agencies: Unknown
Origin of the Proceeding:
Unknown
Whistleblower:
Unknown
Case Status:
Ongoing
Summary
Daniel Comoretto Gomez, a dual Venezuelan and Italian citizen, was a Manager at the Venezuelan state-owned oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. ("PDVSA"), between 2010 and 2013. At PDVSA, Troyano was involved in the trading of asphalt.
Sargeant Marine Inc. was a large asphalt company incorporated and based in Boca Raton, Florida.
According to the documents in this case, between 2011 and 2015, Comoretto was a beneficiary in two conspiracies to pay bribes to various officials at PDVSA. First, Comoretto accepted bribes in the form of commissions for every barrel of asphalt purchased from PDVSA by an unnamed asphalt company. Second, Comoretto accepted bribes in the form of commissions for every barrel of asphalt purchased on behalf of Sargeant Marine by an unnamed Swiss asphalt company. This arrangement occurred because PDVSA prohibited sales of asphalt to Sargeant Marine follwing a dispute between the two companies.
On February 6, 2020, the DOJ filed a complaint in the Eastern District of New York against Comoretto alleging a conspiracy to commit money laundering. On January 27, 2021, the DOJ filed a single count Information alleging the same charge, and according to the docket, on the same day, Comoretto pled guilty. The details of any plea agreement between Comoretto and the DOJ remain unknown, since the no such agreement has been filed in the docket.
This case is ongoing.
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