Medellín mayor thanks FBI for anti-corruption partnership and tells criminals: ‘The best thing is to turn yourselves in’

Medellín Mayor Federico Gutiérrez used a meeting with the FBI in Miami to deliver evidence of alleged corruption and send a message to criminals: “The best thing is to turn yourselves in.”

The city administration and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation formalized a cooperation agenda covering transnational public corruption, terrorism and the sexual exploitation of children and adolescents. Gutiérrez met with Brett Skiles, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Miami office, alongside diplomatic delegates and members of his administration.

During the meeting, Medellín officials handed over documentary evidence concerning alleged diversions of public resources and irregularities in the management of the city under previous administrations. Gutiérrez said the U.S. agency’s institutional support was important and that authorities had continued to receive evidence and key information after the meeting. He said the joint work aims to ensure that the competent authorities in both countries establish criminal and administrative responsibility.

The Colombian delegation included Medellín government officials Manuel Villa Mejía and Nicolás Ríos Correa. They presented operational and intelligence material to the U.S. delegation. The FBI’s Miami field office said the meeting formally addressed a possible case of transnational public corruption and reaffirmed its willingness to coordinate with Colombian law enforcement. The FBI’s Andean regional attaché, Allen Pack, also helped manage the cooperation through the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá.

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The best thing is to turn yourselves in.