Connecticut financier says he was Venezuelan government's pawn in massive fraud scheme

A Venezuelan financier awaiting sentencing in a massive fraud scheme argues in a request for leniency that he was used as a pawn by the South American country's government, saying that he was coerced by corrupt officials into covering up investment losses. Francisco Illarramendi, who ran unregistered hedge funds in Connecticut, pleaded guilty in 2011 to the scheme that exposed investors to more than $300 million in losses, including more than $100 million from Venezuela's state oil company. More…