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Poland searches for $330 mln of Orlen payments for Venezuela oil, sources say

A Swiss unit of Polish refiner Orlen paid 2 Dubaibased intermediary companies $330 million for Venezuelan oil, however Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA never ever got the cash, according to sources and a file seen .

Prosecutors in Poland are investigating the loss of about $ 400 million by Orlen Trading Switzerland (OTS) in prepayments, primarily for Venezuelan oil, in what has become a politically charged story in Warsaw.

State-controlled Orlen concurred in 2015 to buy several oil cargoes from Venezuela throughout a short-term softening by Washington of sanctions on the country, and sent supertankers to pick them up.

However Orlen stated last month it had ditched the contracts after the tankers stopped working to fill for months and as a U.S. licence momentarily enabling oil exports from Venezuela was set to expire in mid-April.

Orlen's statement followed management modifications at Orlen and OTS in February, and after a new pro-European Polish government led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk raised questions about the operations of the Swiss system.

The brand-new government has promised to purge state-controlled business of individuals it considers political nominees of the previous judgment Law and Justice celebration.

However, Orlen's former head of trading, Michal Rog, informed Polish media last month that OTS's losses arised from the cancellation of the offers by Orlen's new management.

According to a document reviewed covering transfers and receipts connected to the trades, OTS made a series of transfers totalling $230 million to Dubai-based Hannon International Middle East DMCC and another $100 million to Dubai-based Horizon Global. The transfers were made in December.

Information of the transfers have not previously been reported.

Orlen stated in April it had not worked before with the intermediary business, without calling them.

Neither Hannon nor Horizon have ever been direct PDVSA customers, according to a PDVSA source and internal PDVSA shipping records, reviewed .

Hannon International Middle East DMCC did not reply to phone calls and WhatsApp messages seeking comment. Horizon Global declined to comment, mentioning continuous arbitration with OTS.

Orlen decreased to comment, pointing out ongoing examinations, while PDVSA and Venezuela's oil ministry did not respond to requests for remark.

Investigators are analyzing the function and actions of people from Orlen and OTS, a representative for Warsaw's regional district attorney stated, without offering more information.

A source acquainted with the matter stated Orlen had actually been informed that PDVSA never got any money for its oil from Hannon or Horizon.

A PDVSA source stated the company did not designate any cargoes to Orlen or its intermediaries since it had not been paid. PDVSA requires 50% of a freight prepayment before appointing a. packing window.

Last November, Orlen chartered 3 supertankers to. Venezuela to fill 5.7 million barrels of Merey 16 heavy crude,. but they either left empty or were chartered by other consumers. after languishing in Venezuelan waters for months, sources. acquainted with the matter stated.