US arrests Turkish businessman accused of helping Venezuela skirt sanctions

MIAMI (AP) — A Turkish businessman was arrested in Miami and charged with helping Venezuela’s state-run oil company circumvent U.S. sanctions. Taskin Torlak was arrested while attempting to return to Turkey. Court documents allege that Torlak starting in 2020 worked with unnamed co-conspirators and companies from Ukraine, China and elsewhere to transport Venezuela’s crude oil at a time when most western buyers stayed clear of the South American country for fear of undermining U.S. sanctions aimed at removing President Nicolas Maduro. Torlak allegedly hid the identities of transaction beneficiaries to enable U.S. banks to unknowingly process payments related to the illegal oil transports.