Emanuel’s father, Alejandro Andrade, had his Wellington, Florida, property raided and horses removed on Nov. 17 according to Venezuelan newspaper TalCual. Alejandro, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy on money-laundering charges earlier this year, has been named as a co-conspirator in another federal money-laundering and bribery case against Raul Gorrin, the owner of the Venezuela-based TV network Globovision. Alejandro’s sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 27.
“As part of his guilty plea, [Alejandro] Andrade admitted that he received over $1 billion in bribes from Gorrin and other co-conspirators in exchange for using his position as Venezuelan national treasurer to select them to conduct currency exchange transactions for the Venezuelan government,” stated a press release from the Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs released Nov. 20. “As part of his plea agreement, Andrade agreed to a forfeiture money judgment of $1 billion and forfeiture of all assets involved in the corrupt scheme, including real estate, vehicles, horses, watches, aircraft and bank accounts.”
Alejandro served first as a bodyguard for former president Hugo Chavez, and then he was later named president of Venezuela’s national bank from 2007 to 2010. Alejandro and Emanuel relocated to Wellington in 2012.
Emanuel could not be reached for comment. At this time, the number of horses seized is not known. The horses’ location is also unknown.
The Palm Beach Post reported earlier this year that the Andrades own about 60 top-level show jumping horses. Emanuel competed seven horses at the Fédération Equestre Internationale level in 2018.
The Andrade family’s Hollow Creek Farm has appeared as a title sponsor at a number of horse shows and classes, including the Winter Equestrian Festival (Florida), Tryon International Equestrian Center (North Carolina), the Split Rock Farm Jumping Tour (Kentucky and Ohio), the Kentucky Spring Horse Show and the Washington International Horse Show (District of Columbia).