Politico Investigation Reveals Back-Channel Bid by Grenell Ally Harry Sargeant to Soften US Approach on Maduro Over Venezuela Oil Interests

A Politico investigation published June 7 reports that Florida oil investor Harry Sargeant III paid former Rep. Aaron Schock $100,000 to elevate special envoy Grenell against Secretary Rubio on Venezuela sanctions, citing internal documents, private messages, and bank records 12. Schock and Sargeant traveled to Caracas in late January 2025, where VP Delcy Rodriguez offered Schock a personal stake in Venezuela's gold sector if he kept US pressure off Caracas during Trump's second term, an offer Schock relayed to associate Benjamin Papermaster; the trip also helped arrange the prisoner release Grenell publicly claimed credit for 13. Schock and Papermaster then organized bondholders and investors into an influence campaign, hiring Paris-based Forward Global for $422,500 to distribute content through conservative influencers 13. A DOJ official told Politico the FBI is probing Sargeant's efforts and called them "egregious"; Sargeant's attorney Kise denied any such investigation and maintained his client acted lawfully 14.