José Roberto Prieto Uribe

On November 11, 2026, a Bogotá judge allowed charges of procedural fraud and illicit enrichment to stand in an investigation into a USD 1 million contract allegedly funded by Odebrecht through Paddington Ventures for the 2014 campaign. Prosecutors say the campaign expenses were concealed from election authorities. Prieto rejected the charges; the judge stressed that evidence would be assessed at trial.

State of the evidence

Court hearing and prosecutorial account independently reported by two Colombian outlets.

Legal status — source text

Criminal charges confirmed at a November 11, 2026 hearing; no finding of guilt.

Attribution

Alleged concealment of a campaign contribution and misleading electoral regulators.

In June 2023, the Procuraduría announced a 12-year ban on public posts and public contracts plus a fine of about COP 50.5 million. It found Prieto had declared no private campaign donations despite an alleged in-kind Odebrecht contribution. This was a disciplinary measure, not a new criminal conviction.

State of the evidence

Official disciplinary statement and later media reporting.

Legal status — source text

Disciplinary sanction announced June 5, 2023; any appeal outcome needs confirmation.

Attribution

False figures in the 2014 presidential campaign financial report.

Prieto entered a plea agreement with Colombian prosecutors and was sentenced in 2019 to five years in prison over dealings linked to a Ruta del Sol contract. Reported offences included private-document forgery, influence peddling and improper involvement in a public contract. A sentence-enforcement judge ordered his release in April 2022.

State of the evidence

Reported criminal conviction and subsequent sentence-enforcement ruling.

Legal status — source text

Convicted in 2019; sentence deemed served in April 2022.

Attribution

His own conduct concerning the award of a Ruta del Sol contract.