Emilio Pevida Sánchez, a Cuban diplomat, along with his father, Lieutenant Colonel of Intelligence and current Cuban ambassador to Mongolia, Emilio Pevida Pupo, have been linked to an illicit remittance operation managed from Cuba with assistance from a partner located in the United States.
The revelation comes from Martí Noticias, who obtained promotional messages advertising "active remittances from the US and Europe to Cuba" via a phone number registered under Pevida Pupo's name.
Upon investigation, the media outlet confirmed that the phone number used to promote the service is listed in Cuba's Telecommunications Company (ETECSA) databases under the ambassador's name, a 62-year-old official currently representing the Cuban government in Mongolia.
To verify the scheme's operations, journalists reached out directly to Emilio Pevida Sánchez. He provided a U.S. phone number for the transfer of funds.
The recipient account is registered to Reinier Gómez Hernández, a Cuban residing in Indiana who reportedly entered the U.S. via the border in 2024 seeking asylum, and is currently pursuing residency under the Cuban Adjustment Act.
Instructions from the diplomat included omitting any mention of remittances or Cuba in the transfers and sending a photo as proof of the monetary transaction.
The message further cautioned against calling or texting the contact number used for the service and clearly stated that organizers would not be liable for any breach of these rules.
U.S. banking regulations often block or delay transfers containing direct references to Cuba due to sanctions stemming from the American trade embargo.
Emilio Pevida Pupo, who owns the phone number promoting the service, has spent much of his diplomatic career in countries within the former Soviet sphere and studied at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.
His son, Emilio Pevida Sánchez, served as a diplomat at the Cuban embassy in Damascus until the fall of Bashar al Assad's regime, an ally of the Cuban government in the Middle East, after which he moved to Beirut.
According to Luis Domínguez, an investigator with the Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba, Pevida Sánchez is also an officer of the Ministry of the Interior's Intelligence Directorate, trained for missions linked to State Security.
After being contacted by Martí Noticias for comments regarding these operations, Pevida Sánchez restricted access to his social media accounts and did not respond to requests for statements.
Questions About the Cuban Diplomatic Remittance Scheme
What is Emilio Pevida Sánchez's role in the remittance scheme?
Emilio Pevida Sánchez provided a U.S. phone number for the transfer of funds, and his involvement includes offering instructions on how to conduct the remittance transactions without drawing attention to Cuba.
How are the U.S. banking regulations related to the remittance scheme?
U.S. banking regulations often block or delay transfers containing references to Cuba due to sanctions from the American trade embargo, which affects how remittance schemes like this operate.
Who is Reinier Gómez Hernández?
Reinier Gómez Hernández is a Cuban residing in Indiana whose account is used to receive funds as part of the remittance scheme. He reportedly entered the U.S. seeking asylum and is pursuing residency under the Cuban Adjustment Act.