FBI Probes $422,500 Maduro Influence Campaign After U.S. Captured Him in January 2026
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Jun 7
FBI Probes $422,500 Maduro Influence Campaign After U.S. Captured Him in January 2026
3 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Jun 7
Summary
Internal messages, invoices and bank records reviewed by POLITICO show Harry Sargeant III, Aaron Schock and allies mounted a 2025 campaign to steer Trump toward a softer Venezuela policy before Maduro’s Jan. 3, 2026 capture.
The effort sought to preserve oil licenses and sanctions relief for U.S. business interests, using Richard Grenell’s Caracas channel, a Chevron-linked policy push, and a $422,500 Forward Global media operation backed by investors and bondholders.
A Justice Department official said the FBI is probing Sargeant’s role and called the policy-shaping effort “egregious”; Sargeant’s lawyer denied wrongdoing and disputed that his client joined any later Schock-led influence campaign.
Marco Rubio and other hawks ultimately prevailed, canceling key licenses, reframing Maduro as a narcotics threat and backing the military buildup that ended with Maduro and Cilia Flores in a New York jail on drug-trafficking charges.
The episode leaves a wider fight unresolved: Washington restored ties with Venezuela under acting leader Delcy Rodríguez, while oil, debt and lobbying battles continue around the country’s future.
With billions in Venezuelan oil revenue now under U.S. control, who is truly profiting from the nation's recovery?
Is the U.S. building a true democracy in Venezuela or backing a new, business-friendly authoritarian regime?
Operation Absolute Resolve: The 2026 U.S. Raid on Caracas, Capture of Maduro, and Its Global Repercussions
Overview
On January 3, 2026, the United States launched Operation Absolute Resolve, a covert military strike targeting Caracas, Venezuela. The operation began with explosions and visible fires at key sites like Fuerte Tiuna, following months of secret intelligence work by C.I.A. officers who mapped Nicolás Maduro’s daily routines using a human source and stealth drones. This intelligence enabled the successful capture of Maduro, leading to his extradition to the U.S. and a swift change in Venezuela’s leadership. The raid sparked global debate about international law, U.S. intentions, and the future stability of Venezuela and the region.