Cash is king for sanctioned Russian, Venezuelan oligarchs

FILE – A fisherman navigates past an inoperative oil drill on Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela, early Oct. 12, 2022.A 49-page indictment unsealed on Oct. 20 in New York federal court has charged seven individuals with conspiring to smuggle oil from PDVSA, purchase sensitive U.S. military technology, and launder tens of millions of dollars on behalf of wealthy Russian businessmen. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos, File) MIAMI - It was a deal that brought together oligarchs from some of America’s top adversaries. "The key is the cash,” the oil broker wrote in a text message, offering a deep discount on Venezuelan crude shipments…