DIFFERENT ANGLE by Kenneth Rijock
Remember, money launderers, whilst they may be "safe" white-collar criminals, are linked to people you do not want to meet in a dark alley. For example, one of the associates of accused money launderer Guido Alejandro Antonini Wilson, Walter Alexander del Nogal, was convicted of murder after he threw someone out of an airplane. This individual wasted no time in departing Argentina after Antonini was found to be smuggling in US$800,000*. He was with Jhonny Yanez Rangel, Governor of the Venezuelan state of Cojedes, in Bariloche at the Hotel Llao Llao, under an alias. That is the same Governor Rangel, who went on the record and denied he knew the people around "Suitcasegate," even though he went to Uruguay with Antonini, on a trip paid for by PdVSA, Venezuela's government petroleum agency. A picture is beginning to emerge, of a large network of individuals whose illicit financial activities are being exposed. Remember well what "Deep Throat" said during the Watergate investigation thirty years ago, "Follow the money."
Now, on to the "colourful" Sr. del Nogal, who is a senior advisor to certain of the directors of PdVSA:
- The reason that Walter Alexander "Alex" del Nogal [UID 441492] was in Argentina using an alias, is because he escaped several years ago from a Swiss prison, where he was serving a sentence for narcotics trafficking and money laundering. He is therefore at risk of arrest, and ultimate extradition to Switzerland, anytime he travels outside Venezuela. Why was he is Argentina? We cannot say.
- It has been confirmed that he was there in Bariloche for two weeks, and that he was in the company of his young son, who was in Argentina under his true name.
- Del Nogal's crimes are not limited to drugs; he was convicted in Venezuela of homicide after he pushed the victim, Mario Patty, out of an aircraft, and was sentenced to twenty years, eleven months imprisonment. Immediately pardoned by President Chavez when he took office, He is now a ranking officer in DISIP, Venezuela's secret police, and holds the title of Financial Advisor. He is also reported to be the Coordinator of Security for President Chavez. Now you understand how he can easily obtain a Venezuelan passport with an alias.
- Del Nogal is also reportedly wanted in Canada for drug trafficking.
Money laundering is never a victimless crime, and the people behind the "bagmen" are often hardcore career criminals that are dangerous and often violent. We shall continue to identify the players and the money in the next chapter of our examination of this scandal.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________ * Whilst US$800,000 was seized by Argentinian Customs, there are reports that an additional US$3m was successfully smuggled in at that time, by another passenger on that flight.
The facts and opinions stated in this article are those of the author and not those of World-Check. World-Check does not warrant the accuracy of any facts and opinions stated in this article, does not endorse them, and accepts no responsibility for them.
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