Poland's state-controlled energy group Orlen faces estimated losses of $378 million to $424 million after its Swiss trading unit advanced $230 million for Venezuelan oil through a USDT settlement chain. Orlen Trading Switzerland signed a $345 million contract with Dubai-based Hannon International in November 2023 for roughly 6 million barrels, after Washington briefly eased sanctions on Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA. Of the funds routed through intermediaries, $135 million produced only 85 million USDT, creating a $50 million shortfall. Between January and March 2024, private keys controlling more than 132 million USDT were transferred via USB devices to brokers linked to PDVSA. The brokers later disappeared, and PDVSA did not release the contracted cargo. Only one vessel loaded about 500,000 barrels of fuel oil worth $28.8 million. Orlen canceled the contract in March 2024, while Polish prosecutors charged three former executives and Orlen began international arbitration in Dubai to recover the $230 million prepayment.