The Superior Court of Bogota sentenced former directors of a major construction conglomerate to nearly 15 years in prison Thursday for embezzling money from a public infrastructure contract.
Prosecutors accused the former directors of the Nule Group, cousins Manuel, Miguel and Guido Nule, of embezzling nearly $37 million from three different contracts awarded to them by the Bogota Urban Development Institute.
The proposed prison sentence of the ex-directors was reduced by 50% after the accused pled guilty to the charges.
“The punishment was reduced because the accused accepted the charges, leaving the sentence at 14 years, 11 months and 15 days in prison,” said presiding Judge Eugenio Fernandez.
In what has become known as the Bogota Public Works Scandal, the Nule Group allegedly bribed suspended Bogota mayor Samuel Moreno to obtain contracts for three large public works projects, for which Moreno is accused of receving a 6% kickback. Moreno’s trial is still ongoing.
The judge rebuked the Nule Group, saying “this is a grave crime for its damage to the community, the outlook of the city is bleak due to the status of these works.”
The company’s former business associate, Mauricio Galofre, was also sentenced to 10 years and six months in jail for his role in the scandal.
Legal troubles continue for the Nule Group as there is currently another trial pending on charges of conspiracy, fraud, bribery, and falsification of documents.
