“Get Martin O’Neill a statue. I’d love to see him stay for another season.”

Celtic fans have reacted to the side clinching five-in-a-row after a dramatic 3-1 win over Hearts, with some clambering for Martin O’Neil to receive a statue.

The game could have seen the Jambos secure the title after 66 years, but instead, it’s boss Martin O’Neill who pulled off a major comeback after the club’s poor start to the season. Derek McInnes’ side were in the lead come the 42nd minute after a goal from captain Lawrence Shankland. But it didn’t last long after Celtic’s Arne Engels scored a penalty before half-time.

Maeda scored a goal during the 86th minute, which went to VAR for possible offside. After a nervous wait, Robertson gave the goal. With around two minutes left, Hearts sent their goalie forward to pack the Celtic box for a set-piece. But the free-kick was cleared, allowing Callum Osmand to run the length of the pitch and score a cool-as-you-like third goal, making Celtic champions.

It’s O’Neill’s fourth title win after victories in 2001, 2002 and 2004. And the Celtic fans who spoke to our sister title Glasgow Live couldn’t be happier after leaving the match.

Shaun Tait, 17, from Ayr, said: “Champions do as champions do. We get the win. It’s been a mental season. Get Martin O’Neill a statue. I’d love to see him stay for another season.”

Nicola McFarland, 40, and Chloe, 13, from Kelvindale, told how the game was a special moment for her and her daughter: “The atmosphere was incredible. I think we had our scarves over our faces for half of the game because it was so nervous.

“The second half was something else. The game summed up the whole season. But what a way to end it.

“This is my daughter’s first time seeing us lift a trophy, so it’s very special.”

Joe Duffy, 43, who drove up from Peterborough despite not having a ticket to the game, said: “I didn’t see us winning the game as the game went on. But we always give that extra.

“It’s phenomenal how O’Neil has got us playing. We found our way to win and that has been the story of the season. The comeback has been phenomenal this season.”

Mark Thompson, 37, from Ardrossan, told how it had been an ’emotional season‘, he said: “It’s been a really difficult season. It’s been all over the place.

“It wasn’t pretty or easy to watch, but seeing us win was euphoric and such a relief. O’Neill is the best manager of my lifetime. When I got into Celtic, he was the pinnacle of it. It’s phenomenal to see him win it again and close this difficult season.”

Mark Macleod, 36, from Stornaway, said: “It’s been an unbelievable week. European atmosphere at a domestic game. Everyone, keep believing. It’s the first season that my friends have had season tickets and it looked gloomy at times.

“But it was worth it at the end. To see the team with the trophy was unbelievable.”

John, 51, and Yvonne, 52, from Wick added: “It was mental. The last five minutes were unbelievable.”

Advertisement

As fans swarm Glasgow’s Trongate area, Police Scotland announced a number of roads are closed as a result. Officers say the Gallowgate is closed between Watson Street and High Street. London Road is also closed between Glasgow Cross and James Morrison Street.

However, High Street and Saltmarket remain open. The public is being asked to avoid the Trongate area where possible.

Police say a ‘comprehensive policing is in place which is focused on ensuring public safety and minimising disruption to the public’. They are also warning that Glasgow City Centre will be much busier than normal and to plan travel in advance.

Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE

Josh Newton, a 29-year-old cake artist from Hartlepool, launched his business Cake King in 2014 after discovering a talent for cake decorating while helping his mam and grandma with a cousin’s birthday cake.

Mr Newton specialises in sculpted 3D cakes, hyperrealistic cakes, and what he calls “full-on extreme builds”, often making food-shaped, car-themed, and movie-themed cakes that make people stop and stare.

Josh’s cake at Teesside Airport for the launch of a new route (Image: Cake King Hartlepool)

One of his proudest moments was working with Teesside Airport, where one of his cakes was displayed on the runway before take-off of a new flight route.

He said: “That one will stay with me forever.”

Josh has also created other airline-themed cakes for the airport over the years.

His business officially turns 13 in 2026, and Mr Newton plans to mark the occasion with a month-long celebration starting at the end of May.

One of Josh’s cake creations (Image: Cake King Hartlepool)

Josh said: “I’ve never really celebrated Cake King’s birthday – probably because I’m always busy celebrating everyone else’s.

“But this year, Cake King turns 13 in June, and we’re celebrating for a full month with a new social media strategy, a YouTube channel, competitions to win extreme cakes and treat boxes, and a brand-new monthly treat box filled with Cake King bakes so everyone can get a taste of the magic.”

Despite creating cakes for clients across the UK, USA, Spain, and Germany, every bake begins in his kitchen in Hartlepool.

A birthday fish & chips cake made by Josh (Image: Cake King Hartlepool)

Mr Newton said: “I’m ridiculously proud that Cake King has stayed rooted in Hartlepool, even while I’m creating cakes for clients in the UK and across the globe.

“This month especially has felt like a turning point.

“For years I felt like the business wasn’t really moving, but recently everything has shifted – new ideas, new energy, new direction.”

(Image: Cake King Hartlepool)

Part of that change has included updating all of his cake recipes, which he said has “given the business a whole new spark.”

Looking ahead to the anniversary, Mr Newton sees it as more than a milestone.

He said: “Even though it’s technically a 13th birthday celebration, it feels more like the start of something new.

“I’m excited to open the doors wider than ever before and bring people along for the journey, especially those who’ve supported me from the very beginning.”

More than 7,000 shoplifting offences were recorded by police in Cambridgeshire in 2025

Retail theft in Cambridgeshire has soared by 70% in the last four years. Cambridge specifically has one of the highest crime rates in the country for shoplifting, according to data from the Home Office.

Police in Cambridgeshire recorded 6,046 shoplifting crimes in 2022. That figure jumped by around 1,700 offences the following year, and by 1,300 offences again in 2024.

Last year, police recorded 7,358 shoplifting offences, which was similar to 2024 but 70% higher than in 2022, the first full year after lockdown, when remaining Covid-19 restrictions were lifted. The figure was also 60% higher than in 2019, the last full year before the pandemic.

Last year, shoplifting was most evident in Cambridge, where, despite a 15% fall since 2024, police recorded 2,373 offences. In Peterborough, shop theft increased by 14% to 2,379 crimes.

But separate figures show that Cambridge has a far bigger issue with shoplifting. Crime rates are calculated by dividing the number of offences by the population, and are generally considered the fairest way to compare crime across areas of wildly different sizes.

They show that Cambridge has a crime rate of 16 shoplifting offences per 1,000 residents. That’s the second-highest rate in the East of England after Norwich (18 per 1,000 residents), and the 10th highest rate in England and Wales.

Peterborough has the second-highest rate in Cambridgeshire, with 11 crimes per 1,000 residents. That is also the joint fourth-highest in the East of England and the joint 42nd-highest in the country.

You can use our map to check the shoplifting crime rates in your area and compare them to the rest of the country.

A Cambridgeshire Police spokesperson said the force has a ‘dedicated’ officer who works tirelessly across the county, including training shop staff about retail crime and the importance of reporting every incident to the police.

They continued: “These figures give us a reflection of crime in a particular area, and it’s pleasing to see figures for Cambridge and Peterborough illustrating the increased confidence shop staff now have to report incidents. Our crime training with stores means we can now share intelligence, enabling us to make arrests across the county.

“For repeat offenders we are applying for criminal behaviour orders, preventing them from entering areas where they have previously committed crime. The formation of the spree offender teams has also increased the number of positive outcomes for retail crime and is testament to this ongoing good work – they currently have a detection rate of over 80%.

“We take all reports of crime seriously and continue to work tirelessly to keep shoplifting and other retail crime down as much as possible.“

Shoplifting was first described as an “epidemic” in 2023 by Dame Sharon White, the chair of John Lewis Partnership, and since then, crime and its cost to retailers has spiralled. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said retailers footed an “eye-watering” £4.2 billion bill from crime in 2024, including £2.2bn lost to shoplifting, and £1.8bn spent on crime prevention measures.

Last month, the Crime and Policing Bill became law. The Bill has removed the £200 “low-value” threshold, meaning theft of goods below that value is no longer a summary-only offence dealt with by magistrates, which created a perception that many shoplifters were getting off lightly. The Bill has also created a new standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker.

Andrew Goodacre, CEO of Bira (the British Independent Retailers Association), said: “We need to recognise that real progress has been made over the past 12 months. There has been a better response from police, more arrests, more community officers on the ground, and a much sharper focus on retail crime. That matters, and it should be acknowledged.

“However, the level of crime remains high and unacceptable. Half a million shoplifting offences in a single year is not a figure any of us should be satisfied with. We have to maintain focus and momentum, and we would urge every retailer to remain vigilant and to report every single incident. That reporting culture is what drives the data, and the data is what drives the political will to act.”

Donald Trump has lashed out at his longtime supporter Lauren Boebert after the Republican congresswoman backed the re-election of Kentucky representative Thomas Massie, who has publicly broken with the president over the Iran war and Jeffrey Epstein investigations.

“Is anyone interested in running against Weak Minded Lauren Boebert in Colorado’s Fourth Congressional District?” the president fumed Saturday on Truth Social.

He called her a “Carpetbagger” who is “campaigning for the Worst ‘Republican’ Congressman in the History of our Country.”

The president’s tirade follows Boebert’s support for the Kentucky Republican ahead of the state’s primary election on Tuesday. She shared a picture of the pair of them on X, saying Massie “loves America and is fighting to save it.”

Massie has said Tuesday’s election serves as a “national referendum” on Trump’s influence in his second term and whether the Republican Party can survive without the president. But Boebert appeared unfazed by the president’s Truth Social posts.

“Yes, I saw the President’s post. No, I’m not mad or offended. I knew the risks when I agreed to stand by my friend Thomas Massie,” she wrote on X.

“I was, and will be, America First, America Always, and MAGA. Onward,” she added.

Trump has launched an aggressive effort to unseat Massie by endorsing his opponent Ed Gallrein, a Navy seal and farmer who the president has described as “a true American Patriot.”

In a post on X one day earlier, Boebert shared a picture of herself with Trump, who she has called a “friend.”

“He’s put his life on the line to save this great country,” she wrote. “I support both of these men. I’ve worked with both to preserve freedom and liberty. And if that makes you angry, bless your heart.”

Trump endorsed Boebert’s re-election in 2025, calling the Colorado congresswoman a “MAGA warrior” and “an America First Patriot.”

“Lauren Boebert has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election — SHE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” he wrote on Truth Social last year.

It marked the fourth election cycle that Boebert won the president’s endorsement.

But her support for Massie appears to have been enough to break their years-long alliance.

“Even though I long ago endorsed Boebert, if the right person came along, it would be my Honor to withdraw that Endorsement, and endorse a good and proper alternative. Just announce your candidacy and I will be there for you!” Trump wrote on Saturday.

The filing deadline for entering Colorado’s congressional primaries was back in March, however. It’s too late for a Trump-backed candidate to enter the race.

That election is June 30.

Massie has been an outspoken critic of Trump for months, often teaming up with Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna on legislation that has challenged Trump’s agenda.

The pair were responsible for the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which forced the full release of unclassified documents relating to the late sex offender.

They have also supported the Iran Wars Power Resolution, which would prohibit U.S. troops from engaging in hostilities in Iran without congressional authorization.

Recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump that arms sales to Taiwan are a “very good negotiating chip” in the United States’ dealings with China are heightening anxieties on the island democracy that Beijing claims as its own.

Trump made the comment in a Fox News interview with Bret Baier that aired right after the U.S. president wrapped up a high-stakes visit to China on Friday.

China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province, to be retaken by force if necessary. The U.S., like all countries that have formal ties with Beijing, doesn’t recognize Taiwan as a country but has been the island’s strongest backer and arms supplier.

Trump is now suggesting that is open to negotiation.

Asked if he would approve a $14 billion arms package to Taiwan that has been held up for months, Trump said that’s up to China.

“I’m holding that in abeyance and it depends on China,” he said. “It’s a very good negotiating chip for us, frankly. It’s a lot of weapons.”

The U.S. is bound by its own laws to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself and sees all threats to the island as a matter of grave concern.

By conditioning U.S. arms sales to Taiwan on his negotiations with China, Trump may play into one the island’s “nightmare scenarios,” said William Yang, a Northeast Asia senior analyst for International Crisis Group: that Taiwan, instead of being at the negotiating table, is on the menu.

Trump and the U.S. Congress already approved in December a separate $11 billion arms sales package to Taiwan. Beijing reacted furiously by staging live fire drills around the island.

China warned of ‘clashes and even conflicts’ over Taiwan

China has framed Taiwan as “the most important issue in China-U.S. relations” during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent summit with Trump. The visit is to be followed next week by a trip by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Beijing.

In one of his strongest statements to date, Xi on Thursday warned Trump of “clashes and even conflicts” if the issue of Taiwan is not handled properly.

Taiwan’s presidential office on Saturday sought to smooth over the tensions by highlighting “that the consistent U.S. policy and position toward Taiwan remain unchanged.”

“The Republic of China is a sovereign, independent, democratic country; this is self-evident, and Beijing’s claims are therefore without merit,” said Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo, referring to Taiwan’s official name. She added that the island remains grateful to Trump for his support and stressed that U.S. arms sales to Taiwan are stipulated by law.

Trump wants Taiwan’s microchip makers to move to the U.S.

Another statement that raised concerns on the island was Trump’s call for Taiwan’s microchip sector — the world’s largest and most advanced — to pick up and move to the U.S.

“I’d like to see everybody making chips over in Taiwan come into America,” Trump told Fox News, describing such a move as “the greatest thing you can do.”

Trump has long pressed Taiwanese chipmakers, which produce more than 90% of the world’s most advanced chips, which are used for artificial intelligence, smartphones and military equipment, to base some of their production in the U.S.

Taiwan’s leading chipmaker, TSMC, has committed an investment of $165 billion in a mega-campus in Arizona. The island’s government, in a sweeping trade agreement with the U.S. earlier this year, pledged $250 billion in investment in the U.S. microchip sector, which included TSMC’s previous commitment.

Trump also reiterated older accusations that Taiwan “stole” its chipmaking sector from the U.S. decades ago.

A side window of the 74 bus from Edinburgh to Fauldhouse was completely shattered.

A gang of young yobs are alleged to have hurled a brick at a Lothian Country Bus window.

An image shared with our sister title Edinburgh Live shows the shocking aftermath of the incident. Glass on the side of the 74 bus, from Edinburgh to Fauldhouse, completely shattered.

A witness described the moment a group of youths was seen running away from the vehicle travelling in the Dedridge area of Livingston. It is understood the incident left the driver ‘shaken and upset.’

Police have launched an investigation into the incident and no arrests have been made at this time. It’s not known if anyone was injured in the incident.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 7pm on Friday May 15, 2026, we received a report of a bus window having been damaged in the Dedridge area of Livingston.

“Enquiries are at an early stage.”

Lothian Buses have been approached for comment.

Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE

The music cancelled his UK concerts last year due to a brain disorder diagnosis

Eurovision fans were left feeling emotional after music legend Billy Joel made a surprise cameo during the final amid his recent health issues.

Last year saw the Piano Man cancel rescheduled concert dates, including a scheduled performance at Anfield Stadium, due to a brain disorder diagnosis. Billy, 77 was scheduled to play 17 dates across America and the UK.

A spokesperson for the singer said at the time: “Billy Joel has announced that he will be cancelling all scheduled concerts following a recent diagnosis of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH).

Click here to get the biggest stories straight to your inbox in our Daily Newsletter

“This condition has been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance. Under his doctor’s instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period.

“Billy is thankful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritising his health. He is grateful for the support from fans during this time and looks forward to the day when he can once again take the stage.”

Sharing his sadness over the cancellations, Billy Joel said: “I’m sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience, and thank you for understanding.”

During the Eurovision Final on Saturday night (May 16), Billy paid tribute to ‘the musician’s town’ of Vienna in a surprise appearance. Vienna was not only where the Eurovision being held, but also the name of one of his biggest hits.

Advertisement

The song about growing old and taking it easy was originally released on Billy’s 1977 album The Stranger. It was later released as the B-side to the single Just The Way You Are.

Speaking in a pre-recorded video during the Eurovision final, Billy said: “Vienna is known as the musician’s town. You think of Beethoven’s Ninth, but you also think of the waltz and Strauss, which is wonderful, happy music.

“Then I also think of the cafe orchestras that play outdoors. It could be an accordion, a violin, and a piano, it could be a very small ensemble. The music is there in so many different ways. You can even see it in the architecture.

“You look on some of the buildings and there’s a little angel playing a violin coming off the balcony of a building, and you don’t see that in other cities.”

Billy continued: “Well, I found out that my father was living in Vienna. He and my mother had broken up in the late 50s, and that he had married again and had another son who was born in Vienna. So I had to go and meet him.

“When I wrote ‘Vienna waits for you,’ I meant that it’s a place where you close the circle, where questions that you have become answered. Suddenly things started to make sense in the world for me, which is really what the song was about – slow down, and look around you, and have some gratitude for the way things are in your life, the good things in your life. That’s what Vienna represented to me.”

With Austrian singer-songwriter Cesar Sampson then performing Vienna during a break before the voting in the final, many took to X, previously known as Twitter, to have their say on seeing the music legend.

@MatthewRimmer said: “Good see Billy Joel well enough to have recorded this. #Eurovision #BillyJoel.” @CiroEgipto added: “The best #eurovision festival. Love Billy Joel #Eurovisión2026.”

Ben_Bou wrote: “The best interlude tonight was Billy Joel’s song with a live orchestra. Way better than all that music Eurovision serves us every year #Eurovision.” @notkornacki posted: “Billy Joel doing a commentary piece for #Eurovision was never on my bingo card. #Eurovisión2026.”

@Ludwig_IV commented: “My God I love ‘Vienna’ by Billy Joel. It’s SUCH a gorgeous song. #eurovision.” @notkornacki posted: “Billy Joel doing a commentary piece for #Eurovision was never on my bingo card. #Eurovisión2026.”

With hybrid and portable games machines still as popular as ever, a reader explains why he’s never liked them and much prefers home consoles.

I’ve been into video games pretty much my whole life. My first console was a SNES, back when I was a kid, and I’ve had at least one per generation ever since, mostly PlayStation and/or Nintendo. I think my tastes in game are pretty broad, and I like a good game of Arc Raiders as much as I enjoy Donkey Kong Bananza. The one thing I’ve never liked, though, is handhelds.

Maybe I’m getting old-fashioned, because the idea of watching a movie on my phone disgusts me and I’d never do it. I want the big cinema experience, ideally at the actual cinema or at least back at home with a big screen and a decent sound system. I’m the same with games and consider it very important to play in the ideal conditions, in the dark and with nothing else going on in the room (I’ll admit, the ideal situation does not always happen!).

I don’t think that position is too unusual when it comes to movies, or at least most people would understand it, but with games I’m not so sure. I hated the idea of the Game Boy and Game Gear when I was a kid and mocked them both, while sticking to my home console. I considered their worse graphics to not be worth the price of portability and dismissed their games as badly made.

Nowadays I can admit that last bit is not necessarily true at all, but those big clunky handhelds, that ate batteries and played worse versions of games I already had at home had no appeal to me. I never really changed my mind as things evolved and still found the graphics on the DS to be extremely ugly. The PSP interested me a little more, and the PS Vita more again, but since their best games often got ported to PlayStation anyway, I wasn’t tempted.

Bringing things up to date, the Switch and Switch 2 have been big hits and while I have both I never use them in handheld mode. I appreciate that they are portable, but whenever I got somewhere, like my parent’s at Christmas, I take my dock with me too. That’s my idea of a handheld console!

The other modern form of the handheld is the PC device, which started with the Steam Deck, which was very influenced by the Switch, and has spawned endless copies. These I really don’t get, because not only do you have to put up with a tiny screen, you also have iffy controls, spotty performance and compatibility, and the horror of having to use Windows on a gaming handheld – or at least you did on the one my friend has, I forget the name of it.

That they’re outrageously expensive only makes things even worse and leaves me essentially anti-tempted. Even the PlayStation Portal is really expensive, and it doesn’t even do anything except stream games from your home PlayStation. Yes, that means you can play it in bed, but you can also play it in bed if you just set up a TV in your bedroom!

These things are popular, so I guess it’s just me. But that’s fine. Unlike some people on the internet, I don’t feel the need to try and force other people to stop playing something just because I don’t like it. But whenever I see someone scrunched up on the train or wherever, playing a home game on a tiny portable screen, with bad controls, I just get the heebie-jeebies.

Don’t even talk to me about mobile phones but there at least I think a lot of people would agree with me. But when it comes to my dislike of handheld consoles… sometimes I feel like I’m the only one.

The reader’s features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.

You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot.

Just contact us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk or use our Submit Stuff page and you won’t need to send an email.

MORE: I won’t buy a PS6 unless Sony bring back lost feature from the PS4 – Reader’s Feature

MORE: This year is make or break for Nintendo and I’m not sure they realise – Reader’s Feature

MORE: You should never be ashamed about looking up solutions in a video game – Reader’s Feature

MIAMI (AP) — Venezuela’s government said Saturday it deported a close ally of Nicolás Maduro facing several criminal investigations in the U.S. less than three years after the businessman was pardoned by President Joe Biden as part of a prisoner swap.

The decision marks a stark reversal for Alex Saab, who Maduro fought tooth and nail to bring home after his previous international arrest in 2020. Now, the Colombian-born insider, long described by U.S. officials as Maduro’s “bag man,” may be asked to testify against his former protector, who is awaiting trial on drug charges in Manhattan after being captured in a shock raid by the U.S. military in January.

The Venezuelan immigration authority in a short statement Saturday did not explicitly say where it had sent Saab but said the decision was made based on several ongoing criminal investigations in the U.S. The statement’s reference to Saab only as a “Colombian citizen” appeared to be a nod to Venezuelan law, which prohibits the extradition of its nationals. Following his last arrest, Maduro and acting President Delcy Rodríguez presented a copy of what they said was Saab’s Venezuelan passport, claiming he was a high-level diplomat who had been illegally detained during a refueling stop en route to Iran.

A fortune built from government contracts

Saab, 54, amassed a fortune through Venezuelan government contracts. But he fell out of favor with the country’s new leadership that took power following Maduro’s ouster. Since taking over from Maduro on Jan. 3, Rodríguez demoted Saab, firing him from her Cabinet and stripping him of his role as the main conduit for foreign companies looking to invest in Venezuela. For months conflicting news accounts have circulated that he was imprisoned or under house arrest.

His removal to the United States is likely to deepen divisions inside Rodríguez’s fragile ruling coalition of Chavistas, named for the movement started by the late Hugo Chávez.

Rodríguez has generated enormous goodwill in Washington and successfully stalled any talk of new elections as she bends to the Trump administration’s demands to open up its oil and mining industries to American investment.

But those concessions to what Chavistas have long decried as the U.S. “Empire” have angered many of her more radical, ideologically driven allies, some of whom, like Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, wield great influence inside the Venezuelan security forces and face criminal charges themselves in the U.S.

U.S. investigation into food corruption

The Associated Press reported in February that federal prosecutors have been digging for months into Saab’s role in an alleged bribery conspiracy involving Venezuelan government contracts to import food.

The investigation stems from a 2021 case the Justice Department brought against Saab’s longtime partner, Alvaro Pulido, a former law enforcement official said. That prosecution, out of Miami, centers around the so-called CLAP program set up by Maduro to provide staples — rice, corn flour, cooking oil — to poor Venezuelans struggling to feed themselves at a time of rampant hyperinflation and a crumbling currency.

Saab is identified in the indictment as “Co-Conspirator 1″ and allegedly helped set up a web of companies used to bribe a pro-Maduro governor who awarded the business partners a contract to import food boxes from Mexico at an inflated price.

Saab was first arrested in 2020 after his private jet made a refueling stop in Cape Verde en route to Iran on what the Venezuelan government described as a humanitarian mission to circumvent U.S. sanctions.

Rodríguez celebrated Saab’s return in 2023 as a “resounding victory” for Venezuela over what she called a U.S.-led campaign of lies and threats. But several Republicans criticized the deal, including Sen. Chuck Grassley, of Iowa, who wrote a letter to then-Attorney General Merrick Garland saying history “should remember (Saab) as a predator of vulnerable people.”

Over the objections of law enforcement, Biden in 2023 agreed to free Saab in exchange for the release of several imprisoned Americans and Venezuela’s return of a fugitive foreign defense contractor known as “Fat Leonard.” The deal came as part of an effort by the Biden White House to roll back sanctions and lure Maduro into holding a free and fair presidential election.

Biden’s pardon of Saab was narrowly tailored to a 2019 indictment — the case number is cited in the pardon itself — related to a contract he and Pulido allegedly won through bribes to build low-income housing units in Venezuela that were never built.

A possible witness against Maduro

Should Saab be returned to U.S. custody, he could become a valuable witness against Maduro.

The businessman secretly met with the Drug Enforcement Administration before his first arrest and, in a closed-door court hearing in 2022, his lawyers revealed that the businessman, for years, helped the DEA untangle corruption in Maduro’s inner circle. As part of that cooperation, he forfeited more than $12 million in illegal proceeds from dirty business dealings.

Saab’s Miami-based attorney, Neil Schuster, declined to comment. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

___

Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report from Washington.

___

This story is part of an investigation that includes the FRONTLINE documentary “Crisis in Venezuela,” which aired Feb. 10, 2026, on PBS. Watch the documentary at pbs.org/frontline, in the PBS App and on FRONTLINE’s YouTube channel.