First Convicted in Daniel Quintero's Medellín Mayor's Office Corruption Scandal Asks for Forgiveness

Juan Alberto Cardona Henao, the former treasurer of the Itagüí Fire Department, has become the first individual sentenced in connection with corruption allegations during the administration of former mayor Daniel Quintero in Medellín. Cardona received a 19-month prison sentence after accepting responsibility for his role in a scheme to divert public funds.

The case involved the falsification of at least 15 documents, including invoices, used to justify payments for services that were allegedly never provided. These fraudulent accounts were directed towards the Metropolitan Area of the Aburrá Valley (AMVA). The investigation revealed that the AMVA suffered a financial loss exceeding 120 million pesos due to these irregularities.

During a court hearing on August 20, Cardona read a statement expressing his sincere apologies for his actions. "I want to express my sincere apologies for the events related to the documents in question. I recognize that what happened was a wrong action on my part and I deeply regret the consequences that this situation has generated for the people and entities involved," he stated. The court had previously set an initial penalty of eight months, which was increased due to the multiple offenses involved.

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I want to express my sincere apologies for the events related to the documents in question. I recognize that what happened was a wrong action on my part and I deeply regret the consequences that this situation has generated for the people and entities involved.