Miss Husband Arrested for Fraud in Portugal

Octavio Reinaldo Orta González was captured on Friday near San Juan de Los Morros, Guárico state, about 200 km south of the capital Caracas. The suspect was in a car with two other men, aged 51 and 19. During a search of the car, police officers found a 9 mm pistol with ammunition. The group also had 80 bullets from an AK-103 assault rifle with a 7.62 mm caliber (prohibited for civilians), as well as 240 grams of drugs (supposed to be marijuana), five mobile phones and a tablet.

The arrest warrant issued by the Portuguese court is against Octavio González and a Venezuelan woman, Jennifer Pedrosa. Both are suspected of using bank accounts in Porto that they owned or co-owned, receiving and transferring to other Portuguese accounts and abroad sums of money that are believed to be the result of corruption and embezzlement.

I WANTED TO RULE THE STATE
In 2021, Octavio González ran for governor of the northern Venezuelan state of Guárico, where he was arrested last Friday. The 56-year-old politician ran for the opposition Democratic Unity Coalition but lost to Nicolás Maduro’s party.

WANTED FOR TRAFFICKING
David Ramon Mendez Marquez, 51, was in the same car in which former deputy Octavio Gonzalez was detained. Local courts accuse the former politician’s compatriot of trafficking drugs and other synthetic substances.

Raised by nuns to be a miss
Ivian Sarcos, wife of former MP Octavio González, was born in Venezuela 35 years ago. She was orphaned at age nine after her parents died in a car accident. She grew up in a convent school, but instead of pursuing a religious career, she became fascinated with the world of beauty pageants. She would be elected Miss Venezuela in 2010 and Miss World the following year.

Bleached by real estate
The former MP wanted by the Portuguese justice system and his compatriot, who is also wanted, are also facing money laundering charges. According to the Portuguese prosecutor’s office, the two used some of the money they illegally transported to invest in real estate and buy luxury cars, which constitutes criminal practices.