The Department of Justice today announced the seizure of a Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft owned and operated by Nicolás Maduro Moros and persons associated with him in Venezuela. The aircraft was seized in the Dominican Republic and transferred to the Southern District of Florida at the request of the United States for violations of U.S. export control and sanctions laws.

“This morning, the Department of Justice seized an aircraft that we allege was illegally purchased for $13 million through a front company and smuggled out of the United States for use by Nicolás Maduro and his cronies,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Department will continue to pursue those who violate our sanctions and export controls to prevent them from using American resources to undermine the national security of the United States.”

“This seizure should send a clear message: aircraft illegally acquired by the United States to aid sanctioned Venezuelan officials cannot simply fly off into the sunset,” said Matthew S. Axelrod, assistant secretary for export control at the Department of Commerce. “It doesn’t matter how fancy the private jet or how powerful the officials, we will work tirelessly with our partners here and around the world to identify and return every aircraft illegally smuggled out of the United States.”

“The United States seizure of the Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft demonstrates our unwavering commitment to enforcing U.S. export control laws and imposing U.S. sanctions on violators,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “This successful seizure was the result of planning, coordination, and execution by the U.S. government with invaluable support from Dominican Republic authorities. Our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to confiscate this aircraft and any other assets evading the law.”

“The seizure of this aircraft is another important action by Homeland Security Investigations, in collaboration with our domestic and international partners, against the illegal activities of the Maduro regime,” said Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami. “The efforts here underscore HSI’s global reach and our ongoing commitment to enforcing U.S. sanctions and stemming the flow of illicit proceeds from high-level foreign public corruption.”

In August 2019, the President issued Executive Order 13884, which prohibits U.S. citizens from doing business with anyone who has acted, or purports to have acted, directly or indirectly, for or on behalf of the Venezuelan government, including as members of the Maduro regime. To protect U.S. national security and foreign policy interests, the Department of Commerce has also imposed export controls on items intended, in whole or in part, for a Venezuelan military or military intelligence end user.

According to the U.S. investigation, in late 2022 and early 2023, individuals close to Maduro allegedly used a Caribbean-based shell company to conceal their involvement in the illegal purchase of the Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft (valued at the time at approximately $13 million) from a company based in the Southern District of Florida. The aircraft was then illegally exported from the United States to Venezuela via the Caribbean in April 2023. Since May 2023, the Dassault Falcon, with tail number T7-ESPRT, has flown almost exclusively to and from a military base in Venezuela and has been used for the benefit of Maduro and his representatives, including to transport Maduro on visits to other countries.

The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security Miami Field Office is investigating the case along with the Department of Homeland Security and the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Dorado Task Force Miami.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Paster and Jorge Delgado for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the National Security Division are prosecuting the case. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and HSI in Santo Domingo provided significant assistance in working with authorities in the Dominican Republic. The United States thanks the Dominican Republic for its assistance in this matter.

The burden of proof for forfeiture in confiscation proceedings lies with the State.