Maduro ally extradited to US on money laundering charge

By JOSHUA GOODMAN
Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) — A top fugitive close to Venezuela’s socialist government has been put on a flight from Cape Verde to the United States to face money laundering charges. President Nicolás Maduro has blasted the U.S. for “kidnapping” Colombian businessman Alex Saab, and hours later Venezuelan security forces picked up six American oil executives who have been under home arrest in another politically charged case. It’s unclear if the men — all of whom were convicted and sentenced last year to lengthy prison terms in a corruption case that the U.S. says was marred by irregularities — were being returned to jail.