Fernando Botero Zea - Campaign Scandal

Campaign Scandal

Shortly after the presidential victory, Andrés Pastrana, Samper's opponent and future successor, accused Samper of having received campaign donations from the Cali Cartel, in the amount of $6 million US dollars. The Attorney General, Alfonso Valdivieso Sarmiento, personally led the investigation. Valdivieso is a cousin of the late Luis Carlos Galán, a charismatic presidential candidate assassinated in 1989 by the Medellín Cartel for his political views. Galán favoured the extradition of drug dealers to the United States for prosecution.

Valdivieso's investigation revealed connections between the Cali drug cartel and top figures of Colombian society, including politicians, journalists, athletes, army and police officers, and artists, among others. As a result, numerous politicians and top members of the government were indicted. Botero was arrested in connection to the investigation and was charged with conspiracy to gain wealth illicitly. On October 3, 1996 Botero was convicted and sentenced to 5 years and 3 months in jail for illicit wealth gain in favour of third parties. He served 30 months and was released on February 12, 1998.

In 2002, Botero was charged with the theft of more than 800 million pesos from Samper's presidential campaign. He invested the money in a farm property in Tabio, a town 20 km north of Bogotá. The national prosecutor sentenced him to 36 months in jail. Botero won an appeal before a Bogota judge.

In 2003 the High Tribunal of Bogotá confirmed the charges, and Botero appealed the decision. In January 2007 the Supreme Court of Justice confirmed the Tribunal verdict. Botero is currently living in Mexico. He is a Mexican citizen and the country does not extradite its nationals.