A Colombian man was sentenced to 12 years and 7 months in prison for conspiring to launder over $1 million in bribe money, officials announced Friday.
Omar Ambuila, 64, a former port official in Cali, Colombia, pleaded guilty in January to a money laundering conspiracy charge.
Ambuila admitted he took bribes while in office and, with help from co-conspirators, funneled the illicit funds into the U.S. The money was used to buy luxury items, including a 2017 Lamborghini Huracan Spyder, a 2017 Porsche Cayenne, and to cover rent on waterfront property. Both vehicles were ordered forfeited as part of his sentence.
“HSI special agents, in close coordination with all their law enforcement partners, will always work diligently to pursue those individuals and those networks of bad actors who exploit the legitimate financial system to support criminal activity,” said Special Agent in Charge John Condon of Homeland Security Investigation Tampa. “This is just another great example of this work.”