Flight Risk Claim Bolstered by Discovery of Jordan Goudreau’s $44K in Crypto, Say Prosecutors
On Wednesday, August 7, 2024, the United States government filed a motion in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida to revoke the pretrial release order granted to Jordan Guy MacDonald Goudreau by a magistrate judge in New York on July 30, 2024.
Goudreau, a 48-year-old Canadian-born U.S. citizen, is facing charges for his alleged involvement in a failed coup attempt to invade Venezuela by sea in May 2020. The indictment, handed down in July 2024, charges Goudreau with conspiracy to violate export laws, smuggling, violations of the Arms Export Control Act, and possession of unregistered firearms.
Specifically, prosecutors accuse Goudreau of illegally procuring and exporting sophisticated military equipment such as assault-style rifles, night vision goggles, and silencers from his home in Florida to aid rebel forces in Colombia. Some of these items were later seized by Colombian authorities in March 2020 as they were being transported to camps for mercenaries training for the invasion of Venezuela. Goudreau’s DNA was allegedly found on two of the recovered weapons.
In their motion, prosecutors argue that Goudreau poses a serious flight risk given the serious charges and penalties he faces. They note he could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison on some of the export charges. If convicted, prosecutors believe Goudreau will try to flee prosecution.
Evidence in the court filing suggests Goudreau actively researched how to escape authorities, and even entered Mexico illegally in May 2020 using his U.S. passport after his role in the failed coup became known. Internet search queries allegedly made by Goudreau in the same time frame included terms like “best countries for asylum,” “run from the feds,” and “ride the beast Mexico.” The government also claims Goudreau secured a Mexican driver’s license and vehicle registration during this time period but did not legally re-enter the U.S.
Additionally, prosecutors claim Goudreau has maintained significant amounts of cryptocurrency, which is often used to facilitate criminal activity anonymously. Records showed Goudreau had around $44,000 in a U.S.-based crypto exchange as of June 2024.
The motion aims to override an earlier decision by a magistrate judge in New York to release Goudreau on a $2 million bond secured by property from his supposed girlfriend. However, prosecutors revealed new information casting doubt on this relationship and the girlfriend’s willingness to financially guarantee Goudreau’s appearance. With his sole tie to release apparently broken, the government is asking that Goudreau be detained pretrial, arguing no bail conditions exist to reasonably assure his appearance in court.
Please contact BlockTribune for access to a copy of this filing.
