Joseph Beemsterboer, Acting Chief, Fraud Section, Criminal Division
Deborah L. Connor, Chief, Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Criminal Division
US Assisting Agencies: Unknown
Foreign Enforcement Action/Investigation: Unknown
Foreign Assisting Agencies: Unknown
Origin of the Proceeding:
Unknown
Whistleblower:
Unknown
Case Status:
Ongoing
Summary
Nilsen Arias Sandoval was a senior manager at Empresa Publica de Hidrocarburos del Ecuador (“Petroecuador”), the state-owned oil company of Ecuador, from 2010 to May 2017.
Gunvor S.A. was a Swiss-based energy trading company with affiliates and subsidiaries around the world, including trading offices in the United States, Singapore, and the Bahamas. Gunvor was a subsidiary of Gunvor Group Ltd., a multinational energy commodities trading company registered in Cyprus.
Vitol Inc., based in Houston, Texas, was beneficially owned by a Dutch company named Vitol Holding BV but directly owned and controlled by the Swiss company Vitol S.A. The Vitol companies, together with their affiliates formed one of the largest oil distributors and energy commodities traders in the world.
Sargeant Marine Inc. was a large asphalt company incorporated and based in Boca Raton, Florida.
According to the documents in this case, between 2010 and August 2021, Arias conspired with others to engage in an international bribery and money laundering scheme, in which he accepted bribes from Gunvor, Vitol, Sargeant Marine, and other unnamed companies to use his official position and influence to assist the companies in obtaining and retaining business with Petroecuador.
On January 19, 2022, the DOJ filed a single count information in the Eastern District of New York against Arias alleging a conspiracy to commit money laundering. Though the plea agreement remains sealed, Arias pled guilty on the same date.
On April 21, 2023, the court ordered Arias to forfeit $13,524,527.44.
This case is ongoing.
Protected Content
Please Log In or Sign Up for a free account to access restricted features of the Clearinghouse website, including the Advanced Search form and the full case pages.
When you sign up, you will have the option to save your search queries performed on the Advanced Search form.
