Maikel Moreno

Maikel José Moreno Pérez (born 12 December 1965) is a Venezuelan lawyer and judge who served as president of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice of Venezuela from 2017 until 2022.

Moreno is currently a fugitive as part of an investigation by the HSI of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He is the prime suspect and was charged in the United States for crimes against the U.S., money laundering, and engaging in shady financial transactions in property. ICE has publicly announced a $5 million reward for his arrest. Previously, Moreno was incarcerated for murder.

Career and education

DISIP and criminal record Moreno began his career serving Venezuela by joining the DISIP (now the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN). In 1987, Moreno was indicted for murder in Ciudad Bolívar and imprisoned for two years before being released.

In 1989, he began to work with DISIP once more, serving as a bodyguard for President Carlos Andrés Pérez. Later that year in Caracas, Moreno was allegedly involved in the murder of 19-year-old Rubén Gil Márquez during a brawl in Parque Central. A year later in 1990, Moreno was released due to his connections to DISIP.

Education Shortly after being released, Moreno attended Universidad Santa María and graduated from their law program in 1995. At this time it is believed that Moreno became acquainted with future First Lady of Venezuela and wife of Nicolás Maduro, Cilia Flores.

The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Moreno and seven members of the Venezuelan Supreme Justice Tribunal (TSJ) in May 2017 for usurping the functions of the Venezuelan National Assembly and permitting Maduro to govern by decree. The U.S. assets of the eight individuals were frozen, and U.S. persons prohibited from doing business with them.

Canada sanctioned 40 Venezuelan officials, including Moreno, in September 2017. The sanctions were for behaviors that undermined democracy after at least 125 people will killed in the 2017 Venezuelan protests and "in response to the government of Venezuela's deepening descent into dictatorship". The sanctioned individuals were prohibited from entering the nations of the European Union, and their assets were frozen.

In March 2018, Panama sanctioned 55 public officials, including Moreno, and Switzerland implemented sanctions, freezing the assets of seven ministers and high officials, including Moreno, due to human rights violations and deteriorating rule of law and democracy.

On 20 April 2018, the Mexican Senate froze the assets of officials of the Maduro administration, including Moreno, and prohibited them from entering Mexico.

On 21 July 2020, the United States imposed sanctions on Moreno and offered a $5 million reward for information leading to his arrest or conviction.

Investigations On 6 April 2023, Italy confiscated a mansion owned by Maikel Moreno, registered in the name of his wife Debora Menicucci, with a value equivalent to 6 million dollars, as the result of an investigation by the Guardia di Finanza on an alleged case of money laundering in the purchase of the villa.

Personal life In September 2020 he announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19.