Instagram Influencer Jenny Ambuila Claims Innocence After Arrest
On Monday, April 1, the world first heard of Jenny Ambuila — a self-proclaimed social media influencer who was arrested in Colombia while on vacation with her parents. The 26-year-old openly shared her luxurious lifestyle on Instagram and Facebook, which included routine designer shopping sprees and lavish trips to Paris and Milan. Although this may be nothing special, la colombiana’s online posts quickly caught the attention of investigators.
Officials suspect that Jenny’s expensive taste was funded by her father — Omar Ambuila — a mid-level customs officer who allegedly received $600,000 in bribes to allow untaxed goods to enter the South American country. The bribes can be traced back to 2012 through oversea payments and contrast his recorded monthly salary of $3,000.
These bribes are said to have contributed to the smuggling of contraband goods into Colombia. “This is a fundamental case in our fight against smuggling,” said Andres Jimenez, a Colombian prosecutor. “We are going after all of this corrupt structure, and the resources behind them.”
After investigators got wind of Jenny’s social media presence, they began looking into her purchases, like a Lamborghini Huracan Spyder with a price tag of more than $300,000. The Miami resident also bought a Porsche Cayenne.
Currently, Omar and his wife are in a Colombian prison, charged with money laundering, aiding smugglers, and corruption. Jenny is under house arrest and is also charged with money laundering, and she continues to post on Instagram claiming her family is innocent.
“Me duele todo lo que está pasando. Pero lo peor es como la gente se empeña en juzgar y atacar como si me conocieran a mí o a mi familia,” she wrote on an Instagram post.
She’s also shared pictures of her parents reassuring them that everything would be alright in the end.
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