"With today's guilty plea, the defendant admits his role in the widespread corruption of the international commodities market and to casting aside laws and rules that apply to all to unfairly line the pockets of the few, ..." U.S. Attorney Breon Peace's statement highlights the severe implications of Aguilar's actions on public trust and international business integrity.
"Aguilar worked in Vitol's Houston office from 2015 to 2020, during which time he and his co-conspirators paid approximately $600,000 in bribes ... allowing the company to supply liquid ethane to PEMEX." This quote underlines the extent of the bribery scheme and its operational framework.
"The scheme involved the use of fake contracts, sham invoices and shell companies in Curaçao and Mexico to conceal the bribes ... used code words like 'shoes' and 'coffee' to refer to the payments." This reveals the lengths to which Aguilar and his co-conspirators went to hide their illicit activities.
"Aguilar's plea follows Vitol's 2020 agreement to pay $135 million in penalties after admitting to bribing officials in Ecuador, Mexico and Brazil ... faces a potential sentence of up to 40 years in prison." It reflects the ongoing consequences of corporate corruption and the legal repercussions faced by individuals involved.
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