A judge convicted seven former executives of Chiquita Brands in Colombia for sponsoring terrorism and sentenced them to 11 months in prison.

The former executives were responsible for Chiquita’s contributions totaling $1.7 million to paramilitary organization AUC between 1995 and 2004, said the Prosecutor General’s Office in a press statement.

Convicted Chiquita bosses

• Reinaldo Elias Escobar
  Former judicial adviser to Chiquita Brands in Colombia
• John Paul Olivo
  Comptroller of Chiquita Brands’ North America, who was the comptroller of Chiquita subsidiary Banadex between 1996 and 2001
• Alvaro Acevedo
  Former Banadex CEO
• Charles Dennis Keiser
  Chiquita’s operations chief in Colombia between 1987 and 2000
• Jose Luis Valverde
  Banadex’s legal representative between 2000 and 2002
• Victor Julio Buitrago
  Banadex’s security chief between 1999 and 2004
• Fuad Alberto Giacoman
  Chiquita Brands’ comptroller between 2002 and 2004

The contributions that led to the convictions were made in the northwestern Uraba region. The US corporation allegedly also financed paramilitary groups in the coastal town of Santa Marta.

Following meetings with AUC commanders, the Chiquita bosses agreed to contribute 3% of their exports to seven of the paramilitaries’ front companies in the Antioquia province.

The AUC used the corporate contributions to finance the illegal purchase of 3,000 AK-47 rifles that allowed the paramilitaries to expand their activities to other parts of Colombia.

The criminal proceedings in Colombia kicked off after Chiquita Brands plead guilty to terrorism sponsoring in the United States and paid a $27 million fine.

The evidence that led to the American plea bargain was used by prosecutors in the city of Medellin to seek justice for the thousands of victims of the AUC groups sponsored by the banana corporation.

Chiquita’s defense received the support of former finance Minister Marta Lucia Ramirez and the company of journalist Yohir Akerman, who downplayed the role of Chiquita in Colombia’s armed conflict.

Almost all the defendants left Colombia after Chiquita’s criminal activity came to light and spurred the American corporation to sell its Colombian assets to other banana companies.