A Bogota judge sentenced ex-Bogota ombudsman Francisco Rojas Birry to eight years in jail for corruption, W Radio reported Friday.
Francisco Rojas Birry was found guilty of receiving $110,000 from William Suarez, a former recruiter for DMG Grupo Holding S.A. The controversial Colombian company was disbanded by the government in 2008 for suspicion of money laundering for drug lords and embezzlement using a Ponzi-scheme. Birry supposedly used this money to help fund his campaign in 2007.
In January, Suarez testified that he personally delivered the money to Birry in 2008. Former head of DMG David Murcia Guzman, who is currently serving nine years in a U.S. prison for his role in the pyramid scheme, confirmed that he ordered Suarez to make the delivery.
In his testimony Suarez said “It hurts me that Mr. Francisco Rojas Birry has received $110,000 and has come out to the media saying that he did not receive the money, when I personally gave it to him at his home.”
Along with his eight-year sentence, the former city official was fined $227,000.