MEDELLIN, Colombia: A key informant against one of Venezuelan President Nicols Maduros closest aides has been accused of lying to his law enforcement handlers in a case involving millions of dollars transported on private jets in violation of U.S. sanctions, The Associated Press has learned.
The surprise reversal could hurt the case against Oil Minister Tareck El Aissami, who the U.S. considers one of Venezuelas most corrupt power brokers, giving oxygen to claims by the nations socialist elite that the U.S. is resorting to trumped-up charges to pursue its goal of regime change.
It also follows embarrassing revelations in another sanctions case in which a federal judge excoriated the same unit of Manhattan prosecutors targeting El Aissami for withholding exculpatory information about an Iranian businessman seen as a…