The Justice Department announced today that Dominican Republic authorities seized a Dassault Falcon 2000EX aircraft used by Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), the sanctioned Venezuelan state-owned oil and natural-gas company, at the request of the U.S. government based on violations of U.S. export control and sanctions laws.
“The use of American-made parts to service and maintain aircraft operated by sanctioned entities like PdVSA is intolerable,” said Devin DeBacker, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department, along with its federal law enforcement partners, will continue to safeguard our national security by identifying, disrupting, and dismantling schemes aimed at procuring American goods in violation of our sanctions and export control laws.”
“Today’s announcement — the seizure of a sanctioned aircraft used by the Maduro regime — clearly shows that sanctions and export control laws have teeth,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Kevin J. Kurland of the Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). “BIS will continue to aggressively investigate and hold accountable those who violate our regulations.”
“The seizure of the Dassault Falcon 2000EX aircraft provides yet another example of this office’s commitment to enforcing America’s export control laws against Venezuelan-owned PdVSA and other sanctioned entities,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “Asset forfeiture is a powerful law enforcement tool, which we will continue to use aggressively to deter, disrupt, and otherwise combat criminal activity.”
“This seizure demonstrates HSI’s unwavering commitment to enforcing U.S. export control and sanctions laws around the globe,” said Edwin F. Lopez, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Santo Domingo Country Attaché. “By working closely with our partners in the Dominican Republic and across the U.S. government, we successfully prevented the violation of U.S. laws designed to protect national security and foreign policy interests. HSI will continue to use its global reach and investigative expertise to target those who seek to evade justice and undermine the rule of law.”
In August 2019, President Trump issued Executive Order (EO) 13884, which, among other things, prohibits U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with persons who have acted or purported to act directly or indirectly for or on behalf of PdVSA. Pursuant to the EO, on Jan. 21, 2020, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) identified 15 aircraft as blocked property of U.S. law that generally prohibit transactions by U.S. persons within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in blocked property.
According to the U.S. investigation, in July 2017, PdVSA purchased the Dassault Falcon 2000EX aircraft from the United States and exported it to Venezuela where it was registered under tail number YV-3360. Following the imposition of sanctions on PdVSA and identification of the Dassault Falcon 2000EX aircraft as blocked property of PdVSA, the aircraft was serviced and maintained on multiple occasions using parts from the United States. The servicing included a brake assembly, electronic flight displays, and flight management computers: all in violation of U.S. export control and sanctions laws.
According to a public statement issued by OFAC, since at least January 2019, the Dassault Falcon 2000EX aircraft has transported Venezuelan Oil Minister Manuel Salvador Quevedo Fernandez, who is also sanctioned by the U.S. government, to an Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) meeting in the United Arab Emirates and has been used to transport senior members of the Maduro regime in a continuation of the regime’s misappropriation of PdVSA assets.
The Justice Department previously announced in September 2024 the seizure of a Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft in the Dominican Republic that was owned and operated for the benefit of Nicolás Maduro Moros and persons affiliated with him in Venezuela.
The BIS Miami Field Office is investigating the case with assistance from HSI Santo Domingo.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jorge Delgado and Joshua Paster for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are handling the matter. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan D. Stratton and Ajay J. Alexander for the Southern District of Florida also provided assistance.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and HSI El Dorado Task Force Miami provided significant assistance. The United States thanks the Dominican Republic for its assistance in this matter.
The burden to prove forfeitability in a forfeiture proceeding is upon the government.