Colombia’s Inspector General’s Office opened a second corruption investigation against former Bogota mayor Samuel Moreno Monday, this time for embezzling $451 million.
The Office opened a disciplinary investigation against Moreno who approved contracts for the purchase of vehicles, property, and foreign investments while he was in office. Eight council members are also under investigation for violating contract law.
The Inspector General barred Moreno from holding public office in 2011 for gross misconduct following his alleged involvement in a public works scandal in which contracts were illegally handed to construction conglomerate Nule Group in return for a 6% cut said he will sue the Colombian state for damages. He is reportedly asking the government for $101,340 in compensation.
Moreno was subsequently charged December last year for receiving illegal proceeds from public works contracts, having been remanded in custody the previous September.
A Colombian court will study 200,000 pages of evidence related to the case and determine whether to make a new list of charges against the former mayor and council members.