List of senators getting millions in kickbacks from Venezuela

1. Where the allegation came from and what it asserts

Social posts in December 2025 circulated the claim that Hugo Carvajal, a former Venezuelan intelligence chief who later pleaded guilty to narcoterrorism and trafficking charges, released a list naming U.S. politicians who allegedly took millions from Maduro’s government and allied trafficking groups to influence U.S. policy ^[1]. Those posts asserted the named senators accepted bribes to undermine U.S. action against Venezuela and its drug networks, but the social-media originators provided no documentation to support the allegation and could not be reached for comment, according to fact-checkers ^[1].

2. What independent fact‑checking and reporting found

Fact‑checking organization Snopes reviewed the viral claims and found no evidence that Carvajal had released any list implicating U.S. senators or other federal lawmakers; Snopes explicitly called the "Venezuela list" claims unfounded after searching for supporting documentation ^{[1] [2]}. The reporting available here does confirm Carvajal’s legal exposure—he pleaded guilty in June 2025 to U.S. narcoterrorism, weapons and drug trafficking charges—but it does not substantiate the broader social-media narrative that he published a list of U.S. lawmakers paid millions ^[1].

3. Broader legal and geopolitical context that fuels the story

The allegation arose amid intense geopolitical drama: the U.S. has long pursued criminal cases and sanctions tied to Venezuelan officials and corruption, including a high‑profile DOJ case against Nicolás Maduro and others that dates back to a 2020 indictment and culminated in Maduro’s capture in January 2026 ^[3]. That operation, and subsequent U.S. efforts to shape Venezuelan governance, dramatically heightened partisan rhetoric and the appetite for claims tying U.S. politicians to Maduro’s regime, providing fertile ground for unverified lists to spread ^{[3] [5]}.

4. What is documented about Venezuelan corruption and who has been prosecuted

Independent investigations and U.S. indictments have documented significant corrupt practices by Venezuelan officials and intermediaries: U.S. prosecutions have targeted Venezuelan figures accused of bribery, money laundering and using front companies to hide assets, and the U.S. has sanctioned multiple Venezuelan officials and entities for corruption ^[4]. Notable prior convictions include former Venezuelan treasurer Alejandro Andrade, who was sentenced in U.S. court for accepting more than $1 billion in bribes, a documented case cited in the sanctions and corruption record ^[4]. Those prosecutions establish a pattern of corruption within Venezuelan networks but do not translate into verified evidence that current U.S. senators received millions from Maduro.

5. Why the claim deserves skepticism and what remains unknown

Given the absence of primary documents, corroborating testimony, or independent reporting tying specific U.S. senators to the alleged kickbacks, the claim should be treated as unproven; Snopes' inability to verify the so‑called list is decisive in assessing the specific allegation ^{[1] [2]}. At the same time, public distrust of political actors and the existence of verified criminal cases involving Venezuelan officials mean allegations will persist; the current sources do not show a verified list of senators taking millions, and no source in the provided reporting names any senator as having received such kickbacks ^{[1] [3] [4]}. If new, verifiable documents or legal actions emerge, they would be the necessary basis to move beyond contention to confirmed fact.