COCAINE CARTEL ACCOUNTANT SENTENCED

MIAMI, Dec. 16 (UPI) - The man who provided a unique insight into the Cali
cocaine cartel because of knowledge he gained as the operation's accountant
has been sentenced to seven years in prison, although he shared information
about the inner-workings of cartel activites with four governments.

Guillermo Pallomari was convicted of laundering at least $400 million for
the Colombian cartel as a $7,000-a-week employee.

Apologizing for allowing money to lure him into the cartel and for the
problems he caused, Pallomari said, ``My stupidity led me to accept this
offer.'' He was hired by and reported directly to reputed cartel leader
Miguel Rodriguez Orejuela.

Pallomari will leave two children in the U.S. witness protection program
while he goes to jail. His wife and best friend are missing and presumed
dead at the hands of the cartel in retaliation for his cooperation with
authorities.

He has testified in 44 criminal cases in Colombia against at least 120
defendants.

Law enforcement agencies in the U.S., Colombia, Mexico and Switzerland
benefited from Pallomari's information. He told investigators about payoffs
to politicans, lawyers and high-ranking government officials, including two
former presidents.

Pallomari alleged that former Colombian President Ernesto Samper and former
Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari accepted drug money for their
political campaigns. Both men have angrily denied any connection to the
cartel.

Federal prosecutors said they felt seven years behind bars was an
appropriate sentence in light of the huge amounts of money Pallomari moved
for the cartel.

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Checked-by: Rolf Ernst