A Colombian businessman accused of laundering more than $2 billion tied to alleged bribery involving Venezuelan officials has been arrested in South Florida and brought to the United States to face federal charges. Prosecutors say Alvaro Pulido Vargas, also known as German Enrique Rubio Salas, was indicted in separate federal cases in 2019 and 2021 and is scheduled for his initial court appearance Tuesday. Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the arrest, saying Pulido’s alleged actions show a “blatant disregard” for Venezuelans by corrupting programs intended to provide food, medicine, and housing, while exploiting the American financial system. In the 2021 case, Pulido and four co-defendants are accused of paying bribes to Venezuelan officials to secure inflated government contracts through the CLAP program. Prosecutors allege the group received about $1.6 billion from the Venezuelan government and transferred roughly $180 million through or to the United States, including accounts in South Florida. Pulido faces one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and four money-laundering counts in that case, each carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years. A separate 2019 indictment alleges Pulido and Alex Saab Moran, described by the Justice Department as a Maduro regime ally, laundered about $350 million connected to a housing-contract bribery scheme. Prosecutors say the pair exploited Venezuela’s government-controlled currency exchange system by submitting false import documents for goods and materials that were never brought into the country, while bribing officials to approve the paperwork. Authorities allege the proceeds were routed through U.S. accounts and then sent overseas. Pulido is charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and seven money-laundering counts in the 2019 case. The cases are being investigated by the DEA, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations. Pulido is currently under federal custody ahead of his initial court appearance scheduled for Tuesday.