Texas Attorney gets Prison Time for Scamming Drug Traffickers

SAN ANTONIO,TX – A Texas attorney has been sentenced to federal prison for scamming Colombian drug traffickers.

Jamie Balagia was sentenced to 16 years after scamming Colombian drug traffickers out of $1.5 million dollars.

Balagia was convicted in 2019 on several conspiracy charges and violation of the Kingpin Act, among other crimes.

According to court information, Balagia conspired with a Florida private investigator and a Colombian attorney to scam drug traffickers telling them they were bribing U.S. officials.

During meetings, the group would charge inflated ‘attorney fees” and in exchange would bribe government officials that would either reduce or dismiss criminal charges.

No bribes ever took place.

Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei said “We live in a country with the greatest system of justice in the world. That system, however, cannot function when officers of the courts are corrupt.”