Thor Halvorssen Hellum (, May 16, 1943 – July 20, 2014) Datos Genealógicos Página 355 (Páginas de Familias). Datos Genealógicos Página 355 (Páginas de Familias). Retrieved on July 21, 2007 was a Venezuelan-Norwegian businessman who was CEO and President of the Venezuelan state-owned telephone company CANTV, and later was "special commissioner for international narcotic affairs" in the administration of President Carlos Andrés Pérez, holding the rank of Ambassador."Thor Halvorssen". Latin America Weekly Report, Section: Venezuela; Politics; WR-93-45; Pg. 538. November 18, 1993. While investigating links to money laundering and drug trafficking, he was detained after a terrorist attack, and was later cleared of any involvement. Halvorssen's case was taken up by Amnesty International and other international human rights organizations. After his release, Halvorssen moved with his family to Miami, where he lived until his death.
Early life and education Halvorssen, of Norwegian descent, is one of the four sons of a Norwegian businessman, Øystein Halvorssen. His father became the president of GMAC (now Ally Financial) in Venezuela before he began his own business operations, and also was the Norwegian Crown's consul-general in Caracas from 1938."Fra statsrådet idag." Aftenposten, 10 March 1938, p. 7 According to the journalist Gaeton Fonzi, who wrote an investigative story about Halvorssen's life, he led the "jet-setting life style" of a "happy-go-lucky" son of a wealthy businessman. With his twin brother Olaf, he befriended Jerry Wolman, the owner of the Philadelphia Eagles football team, with the three becoming partners in real estate transactions and night clubs. Halvorssen's father died while he attended University of Pennsylvania; Halvorssen graduated from the university in 1966 and completed a Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania MBA in 1969.
Business career After graduating, Halvorssen returned to Caracas and inherited the family businesses, often spending time at the Caracas Country Club or traveling internationally. Halvorssen’s activities were wide-ranging; he owned of Venezuelan insurance company AXXA Corretaje de Seguros and held representation positions at international conglomerates Dunlop, Ericsson, and British Cellophane. Halvorssen was also a real estate developer, owning the company that built the 350-room Melia Caribe hotel.
Governmental career
Head of CANTV President Carlos Andres Pérez was elected in 1974 and in 1977 appointed Halvorssen, then 34, president of the Venezuelan state-owned telephone company CANTV; Halvorssen was president and CEO of CANTV from 1978 until Pérez completed his term. Presidentes de CANTV. CANTV.com. Retrieved on July 22, 2007. While the head of CANTV, Halvorssen became more involved with the National Directorate of Intelligence and Prevention Services (DISIP). Halvorssen has said that in the 1980s he had worked closely with Duane Clarridge, the chief of the CIA's Latin American operations. His son rejects that Halvorssen had a special relationship with the CIA.
Special commissioner on anti-narcotic affairs When President Pérez was elected President again in 1989, he named Halvorssen Venezuela's "special commissioner for international narcotic affairs" with the rank of ambassador. As chief of anti-narcotics, Halvorssen was behind the extradition to Italy of the Cuntrera-Caruana Mafia clan members Pasquale, Paolo and Gaspare Cuntrera. Gaeton Fonzi, former U.S. Senate investigator, wrote that "the remaining Mafia in Venezuela do not remember Halvorssen fondly for that". Halvorssen worked closely with Manhattan District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau investigating the financial affairs of Venezuelan government officials. Halvorssen discovered the secret bank accounts of Venezuelan president Carlos Andrés Pérez, the man who had appointed Halvorssen. The evidence revealed $19 million that Perez and his mistress, Cecilia Matos, had deposited into numbered accounts. This discovery and the airing of the evidence in Venezuela led to the impeachment of President Perez in May 1993.
When Pérez offered him the position of "drug czar", Halvorssen says he accepted because, "I went to a detoxification clinic in the US and I was so appalled by what I saw there that I resolved that I would do anything I could to fight drug trafficking." According to Isabel Hilton, writing in the British edition of Gentleman's Quarterly (GQ), observers say that Pérez may even have offered Halvorssen the job as a necessary matching gesture when US president George H. W. Bush appointed William Bennett as his Director of National Drug Control Policy, thinking that Halvorssen was still drinking and would not raise issues. Halvorssen performed his duties well, deciding to use his worldwide contacts and intelligence connections to detail the extent of Venezuela's role in the drug world. Halvorssen believed that Pérez was not responding to his reports on drug trafficking and money laundering, so Halvorssen approached his ally, Venezuelan Senator Cristobal Fernandez Daló. In 1992, he was appointed special overseas investigator of an Anti-Money-Laundering Commission by the Venezuelan Senate. He was a liaison between law enforcement agencies around the world, working on drug and money-laundering cases.
Notable investigations During his time as commissioner, Halvorssen began an investigation with the assistance of New York District Attorney Robert Morgenthau, uncovering that President Pérez had a secret $19 million account with his mistress Cecilia Matos.
After Cuban-Venezuelan Orlando Castro Llanes–one of Venezuela's wealthiest individuals–attempted a takeover of the Venezuelan elite's Banco de Venezuela in 1990, the bank paid Halvorssen $1.7 million to investigate Castro. The investigations by Halvorssen revealed that Castro was a business associate of Pablo Escobar, head of the Medellin drug cartel. Evidence included business letters between Escobar and his lawyer making reference to Castro's banking and insurance companies.
Arrest and imprisonment In 1993, while Halvorssen was investigating the now defunct Banco Latino and the Grupo Progreso, he was arrested on charges of terrorism, which an anonymous Venezuelan congressman described at the time as a "set up because he was investigating Medellín Cartel finances and links to Venezuelan businessmen and officials." Halvorssen was one of 12 people arrested after a series of in Caracas in July and August 1993. Police said the motive was profit—to capitalize on stock market fluctuations caused by the bombs. Halvorssen denied the charges and stated that he had made no stock or bond transactions in the Venezuelan stock market for two decades. Sweeney, John. "Bombas por negocio", Dinero, November 1, 1993. Retrieved on 2007-07-22. One of the alleged members of the group of bombers, Ramiro Helmeyer, told police that Halvorssen was the leader of the conspiracy. Helmeyer later recanted his confession, telling journalists that the police "tortured me so that I would accuse Thor Halvorssen". Halvorssen was ultimately released with no charges ever being filed. And the judge admonished the police for having ever detained Halvorssen when there was no evidence provided to hold Halvorssen. Helmeyer, who had admitted his own involvement in the bombings, was ultimately convicted of murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Halvorssen was initially held without an order of arrest for eight days and was later moved to the Retén de Catia prison, a maximum security prison home to Venezuela's most notorious criminals. Havlorssen's son, Thor Halvorssen, led an international movement calling for his father's release. International organizations, including Amnesty International, a Nicaraguan cardinal, and members of the British Parliament, protested Halvorssen case. Halvorssen was exonerated and his order of arrest rescinded. No charges were ever filed against him. After his release, the United Nations-affiliated International Society for Human Rights appointed him director of their Pan-American Committee.Nifong, Christina. Former Venezuelan Drug Official Freed; Christian Science Monitor. Boston, Massachusetts: December 24, 1993.Scott, David Clark. Venezuelan Anti-Drug Official Fights His Foes From a Prison Cell: Evidence suggests Thor Halvorssen was framed by Colombian drug lords and their Caracas 'friends'; Christian Science Monitor. Boston, Massachusetts: December 20, 1993.Halvorssen, Thor. The Americas: The price of vigilance in Venezuela's banking community. Wall Street Journal. New York, N.Y.: March 4, 1994. pg. A9 Available online here. During his time in prison, when there was an all out media campaign against him, Halvorssen was supported by the New York District Attorney Robert Morgenthau who praised his efforts as someone who provided assistance to his office in the fight against the international narcotics business, as well as to federal law enforcement officials of the United States. He was released from prison after 74 days and moved to the Jockey Club luxury condominium two days later.
In March 1994, Halvorssen wrote a Wall Street Journal editorial recounting his ordeal and explained that prior to his arrest he had been investigating Banco Latino for money laundering and for being a Ponzi scheme. Halvorssen explained that he was arrested in Caracas one day after a Banco Latino official asked him to come to Venezuela from New York for a meeting with the bank's chairman. Halvorssen was warned by a U.S. Treasury Department agent that the meeting with Banco Latino was a trap. Halvorssen went anyway and was arrested. Recuerdos Certeros del Terrorismo Caraqueño, open letter by Thor Halvorssen
In GQ magazine, Isabel Hilton also covers Halvorssen's investigation of Orlando Castro Llanes.Index of articles, Orlando Castro Llanes. Ashenoff and Associates, Inc. Retrieved on July 21, 2007 Hilton states that Castro was involved in arranging the false arrest of Halvorssen and the media campaign to destroy his reputation. According to Halvorssen, Castro was linked as a money laundering partner to drug kingpin Pablo Escobar in a letter written by Escobar to his attorney;Hilton, Isabel. "Presumed Guilty". Gentlemen's Quarterly (GQ) UK: July 1994. the authenticity of the letter remains questioned.
Castro had visited Halvorssen in prison with his son who beat Halvorssen while he was handcuffed to a chair. Wire reports and newspaper articles written during his time in prison portrayed Halvorssen as guilty and corrupt. A framework of opinion was created to destroy any credibility Halvorssen could have when testifying in a court of law in the United States. Regarding the charges of terrorism she writes: "In reality, the police case against Halvorssen was non-existent…He was completely exonerated." Armando Valladares describes Halvorssen's decision to serve as anti-Drug Czar as "quixotic" for having "simultaneously took on the entire banking sector without a budget or structural support in the government."
Aftermath Three weeks after Halvorssen's release, Banco Latino folded and its directors were charged with numerous crimes. Ball, Carlos. Banco Latino y El Compadrazgo Mercantilista en Venezuela. aipenet.com Retrieved on July 21, 2007. They are still fugitives. Depositors lost billions of dollars. Orlando Castro Llanes fled Venezuela and was ultimately extradited from Miami to New York to face charges of grand larceny and theft.Sullivan, John. "New York Jury Convicts Three Venezuelan Bankers of Defrauding Depositors". The New York Times (February 20, 1997)