Colombian court sentences former Chiquita execs to 11 years in prison

In a ruling delivered Wednesday, seven former Chiquita Brands executives have been found guilty of "aggravated conspiracy" and sentenced by a Colombian court to more than 11 years in prison. Additionally, the magistrate ordered the former leadership to pay $3.4 million in fines for their role in financing illegal armed groups during a period of widespread violence in the banana-producing region of Urabá.

Among those convicted are three former executives who led Chiquita operations in Colombia between 1990 and 2004, including Charles Dennis Keiser, a U.S. citizen.

According to the document, the company was accused of transferring approximately $2 million to the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), a now-disbanded right-wing paramilitary group designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. This resolution marks the first time Chiquita leadership has been held criminally liable in Colombia.

The sentencing follows a U.S. civil case in 2024, in which a jury found Chiquita liable for financing the AUC. As a result, the court established a multi-million-dollar compensation fund for victims of the conflict.

"We welcome this decision, which comes two months after the statute of limitations expired, and recognizes the multinational's links to the AUC through more than 100 illegal payments," said Senator Isabel Zuleta (Pacto Histórico party) of the court decision. 

Chiquita has not issued a public response to the Colombian ruling as of press time.

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