The former U.S. Army special forces soldier who claimed responsibility for the foiled attempt on Sunday to overthrow the Venezuelan government and win the U.S. government's $15 million bounty on President Nicolás Maduro is linked to a company based on the Space Coast.
But the only trace of Jordan Goudreau, who is listed on Florida Division of Corporations records as the CEO of Melbourne-based Silvercorp USA, Inc., is an empty office space in an unmarked lot shared by a prisoner transport company and a Penske Truck Rental office.
"Crisis leadership, risk management, complex project leadership and project integration," are the services the company provides, according to its website which says that Goudreau lives in Cocoa Beach "with his dog Finn."
A LinkedIn page for Goudreau says he served 15 years with the U.S. Army from 2001-2016. It also notes he worked as a system analyst in Maryland and prior to that was in the Canadian military from 1994 to 1997 and obtained a bachelors degree in computer science from the University of Calgary in 1998.
Goudreau, who is reportedly a former Green Beret, claimed responsibility for Sunday's overthrow attempt in an interview with an exiled Venezuelan journalist after an amphibious operation was reported near Caracas, the capital city. The botched raid resulted in eight dead and 13 prisoners, including two Americans, also ex-special forces, according to the Maduro government.
Goudreau had claimed that 60 of his men are still fighting in Venezuela, under the Venezuelan National Guardsman Capt. Antonio Sequea, who participated in a barracks revolt against Maduro a year ago, but none of these claims have been verified by reporting. Goudreau also provided contradicting accounts on having and then losing the support of Juan Guaidó, the opposition leader recognized by the U.S. and about 60 other countries as Venezuela’s interim president.
Guaidó has since accused the Maduro government of fabricating the whole plot to distract from domestic humanitarian problems.
On Twitter, @SilvercorpUsa an account seemingly linked to Goudreau's company, and whose profile picture is Goudreau wearing a suit and tie with an American flag draped over his shoulder, tweeted about the raid at 8:03 p.m. Sunday.
"Strikeforce incursion into Venezuela. 60 Venezuelan, 2 American ex Green beret @realDonaldTrump," it read, tagging President Donald Trump in the text.
The State Department issued a statement to FLORIDA TODAY to quash any suggestion that Washington was behind the raid in Venezuela and were investigating Silvercorp's involvement.
"We are making efforts to learn more, including about the activities of two U.S. Citizens who are reportedly in the custody of the former regime, as well as Mr. Goudreau," it read, adding that "We will also be looking closely into the role of the Maduro regime in this melodrama and especially of the very large Cuban intelligence apparatus in Venezuela."
According to the Associated Press, Goudreau was working with a retired Venezuelan army general who is now facing narcotics charges in the United States. Their plan was to train dozens of deserters from Venezuela’s security forces at secret camps inside neighboring Colombia and mount a cross-border raid that would end in Maduro’s arrest.
Emails, calls and text messages from FLORIDA TODAY to a number for Goudreau went unanswered on Tuesday.
Goudreau and retired Venezuelan Capt. Javier Nieto, who is reportedly working with Goudreau, declined to speak to the Associated Press on Sunday. The pair posted a video online from an unknown location in which they said they launched an anti-Maduro putsch called "Operation Gideon."
According to Silvercorp USA Inc business records, the current COO is listed as Drew White, based in Colorado. White could not be reached.
The business previously listed Registered Agents, Inc. as a registered agent starting February 2018. But upon calling their office in Tampa, the person answering the phone stated only that they were no longer the registered agent since April 2019 and hung up.
Before that the company lists as an agent a 'Frank Riley' with a listed address of a residence in a gated community in a Melbourne suburb, not far from the Brevard County government complex.
The documents in fact misspell the name of Frank Reilly, a retired Master Sergeant with the U.S. Air Force's para-rescue special forces, who said he has since sold the home at the listed address. Reilly, speaking to FLORIDA TODAY on Tuesday, said he was totally unaware that Goudreau had used his name and address to register the business.
"I have no idea why he would do that," he said.
Reilly was unaware of Goudreau's whereabouts, and said he had not heard from him since March 2018. He said he only knew Goudreau briefly, as the two transitioned back to civilian life. He said they did not serve together but met in 2017 at the Warrior Games in Tampa where they were both in the special operations team.
"He did not have a place to stay at the time so I let him stay at my home for a couple of weeks," he said.
He recalled Goudreau talking about some financial hardships and debts he owed upon leaving the military but noted that he appeared to get back on his feet after doing contractor work in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria devastated the island.
After that, Reilly said his only contact with Goudreau was when he came back and collected things he left at the house in February 2018.
"He still had some things in my garage, and he came and got those things and basically that's when he started the company," he said.
Reilly was unaware of any overseas contracting Goudreau had done in the time he knew him.
Reilly said he was "baffled" to hear the news of Goudreau's operation in Venezuela, noting that when they parted ways he thought that Goudreau's company had a more domestic focus, such as active shooter training.
"He didn't say where he was going," he said. "I didn't really worry too much about him, he was able to take care of himself."
Contacted Tuesday, one U.S. Justice Department spokesman said "overthrowing nations is not something that is generally lawful," but added "I'm not aware of anything about this," before referring further comment to the State Department.
Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon is a watchdog reporter for FLORIDA TODAY. Contact him at 321-355-8144, or asassoon@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @alemzs
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