Colombian president's son Nicolas Petro to go on trial for laundering money that was donated to his father's presidential campaign

The son of Colombian President Nicolás Petro is set to go on trial for money laundering and illicit enrichment, according to documents filed in court by the Attorney General's Office on Monday.

Nicolás Petro was arrested July 31 and later released from custody under strict terms for accepting donations for his father's campaign ahead of the 2022 elections.

The younger Petro admitted before the investigators that he accepted money from Samuel 'The Marlboro Man' Santander, a former politician who served 18 of a 25-year prison sentence in the United States for drug trafficking; Alfonso 'Turco' Hilsaca, a Cartagena businessman linked to Los Rastrojos, a drug cartel and paramilitary group; and Óscar Camacho, a well-known businessman from Cúcuta.

President Petro had commented publicly on his son's upcoming trial as of Monday evening. 

Nicolás Petro (left), the son of Colombian President Gustavo Petro, and his estranged wife Daysuris Vásquez (right) attend a court hearing in July following their arrest. Petro is set to go on trial on money laundering and illicit enrichment charges after admitting he accepted money from three individuals for his father's presidential campaign in 2022 

Nicolás Petro with his father, Colombian President Gustavo Petro

He attempted to broker a deal in search of a lighter punishment, which eventually was rejected by the Attorney General's Office.

'A part of the money, according to Nicolás Petro, would have been kept to increase his assets and that of his (former) wife (Daysuris) Vásquez,' Mario Burgos, the lead prosecutor, said back in August.

Colombian authorities first learned of Nicolás Petro's scheme after Vásquez revealed explosive details in an interview with local news magazine Semana.

Vásquez admitted being present in meetings where her former husband took in $150,000 from Santander.

She recalled that her husband met Santander through his daughter, who was his friend for many years. She remembered the sit down with Santander took place at his daughter's residence in February or March 2022. 

Vásquez said that her husband also accepted $103,000 from Hilsaca. 

Nicolás Petro (left), his estranged wife Daysuris Vásquez (center) and his father, Colombia's President Gustavo Petro

She said that Nicolás Petro took the money and never forwarded the contribution to the campaign.

A former legislator in the Atlántico department, Nicolás Petro reportedly used the money to purchased mansion, an apartment in a condominium and a Mercedes Benz SUV.

Vásquez told Semana she first learned that he had no intentions of forwarding the money to his father's campaign when she told him her vehicle encountered battery issues.

On one occasion, Nicolás Petro texted her: 'I am not going to buy another car, because we are going to take that money that is there to buy a house.'

The couple signed a promise to purchase contract and put down 60 percent – about $180,000 - of what the home was worth.

However, Vásquez said she backed out of buying the new home for 'obvious reasons.'

Prosecutors also accused Vásquez of money laundering.