Charlie Zaa breaks silence after seizure of his properties

Colombian singer Charlie Zaa has issued a statement addressing the recent seizure of four of his properties by the Colombian Attorney General's Office. The properties, collectively valued at $14.1 million, are reportedly being investigated for links to illicit funds from the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC), a paramilitary group.

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I have built my career, my name, and my family's heritage for more than thirty years, based on honest work, effort, and dedication.

The Attorney General's Office stated that the investigation aims to determine if the real estate, which includes a shopping center, two nightclubs, and a hotel located in Girardot and Ibagué, was acquired through third parties acting on behalf of a former AUC commander. The process began in July 2025 when the Bogotá Superior Court ordered initial precautionary measures on the singer's assets as part of an asset forfeiture case.

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There is no sentence against me, nor is there a judicial decision that declares my assets illicit, nor a definitive asset forfeiture decision.

In his Instagram statement released on July 17, 2026, Charlie Zaa, whose real name is Carlos Alberto Sánchez Ramírez, asserted that he has built his career and family's wealth over more than three decades through honest work, effort, and dedication. He emphasized that no definitive ruling has been made against him, nor has any judicial decision declared his assets illicit or ordered their forfeiture.

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The measures known to the public correspond to an initial stage of the process, in which the defense begins to exercise its right to present evidence about the origin of the assets.

Zaa clarified that the measures publicized are part of an initial stage of the legal process, during which his defense team is presenting evidence regarding the origin of the properties. He expressed his confidence in the Colombian justice system, the presumption of innocence, and his willingness to cooperate fully with authorities. The singer thanked his supporters for their prayers and messages of encouragement during this challenging time.

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I express my confidence in due process, in the presumption of innocence, and in the fact that evidence, not headlines, will establish the truth of the case.