A few years later, in 1984, he orchestrated the murder of Rodrigo Lara Bonilla, Colombias Minister of Justice who dared stand up to him. He was also known for his generosity, and would often give money to the poor. By Kayla Webley Thursday, Jan. 20, 2011. In that role, Roberto handled great sums of money. The notorious narcoterrorist and drug lord from Colombia was born Pablo Emilion Escobar Gaviria. Let's take a closer look at the five richest drug lords of all time. From those devious roots, he entered the coca business in the 1970s, just as the U.S.'s obsession with the highly addictive drug began. His jail sentence appears to be safe, but the rest of his clan may not be so lucky. El Chapo's net worth is $3 billion US Dollars. The Sinaloa cartel used an air-conditioned tunnel system to smuggle drugs into the United States through the U.S.-Mexico border. It's likely he will receive a life term to be served at ADX Florence, a maximum-security prison in Colorado called the "Alcatraz of the Rockies.". Pablo Escobar, a farmer's son from rural Colombia, and Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, a product of Mexico's rugged Sierra Madre mountains, delivered immeasurable amounts of cocaine and other drugs to the world before their reigns came to an end Escobar's in 1993 on a dingy Medellin rooftop and now Guzman's after he was convicted in a New York court and almost certainly faces a life sentence in one of the US's toughest prisons. We put it out there at four in the afternoon, when the cops changed shifts. With Chapo, he not only has the importation of cocaine, but marijuana, heroin, and methamphetamine, and he is exporting them not only to the U.S. but to Asia and Europe., When he was arrested on charges in 2014, The Washington Post noted, "Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzmn [was] the man who supplied more illegal drugs to the United States than anyone else on Earth.". Khun Sa headed up the infamous Golden Triangle, which provided 90% of the heroin in New York City during the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. It's time to turn out your lights, Palm Beach. He insists that, once his father was cornered, he died by suicide before he could be killed. PABLO ESCOBAR ($155 Billion ) Well, if you have seen the show 'NARCOS' you will know the real, Pablo Escobar and who is he. "When I went to the joint, I gave Guy Fisher a woman of mine and told him to look out for her, take care of her," Barnes said. Pablo, the younger of the two men, most likely knew El Chapo on a personal level but had no contact with him. Stay up to date with what you want to know. And in 1989, he allegedly plotted to plant a bomb on Avianca Flight 203 (wrongly believing that future Colombian president Csar Augusto Gaviria Trujillo was on board), killing over 100 people on the plane and even a few people on the ground. The bulk of the cash flow came from the exorbitant upcharge that Escobar placed on his product. In the late 1970s and 1980s, Pablo Escobar reigned as the king of cocaine. No one could withstand the focus," a senior U.S. drug official said, adding that Carrillo made a critical mistake: "He got too big, too notorious.". to persons with disabilities including users of screen reader technology. I was suffering the same as if I had ordered all those murders by myself.. Thus, Escobars net worth was estimated to be between $30 and $60 billion during his life. "The rumor has as much credibility as the millions of sightings of the late Elvis Presley," a statement from the DEA said. Known as El Padrino, El Patrn, and Don Pablo, the Colombian drug lord built out his Medelln Cartel, made himself billions, and killed anyone who stood in his way. Born in 1977 as the eldest child of Escobar and Henao, Juan Pablo had a loving, luxurious childhood. The sad truth is,not everyone who is filthy rich made their money on the up and up. To put that in perspective, Escobar was getting paid off 365 days of the year on weight as substantialas two African elephants and controlled 80 percent of the global cocaine trade. What was the net worth of Escobar? But Pablos brother, Roberto Escobar, did play a role in the Medelln Cartel. The Sinaloa cartel has never had the hierarchical structure of many of its competitors, functioning more like a federation of groups, overseen by Guzman and Zambada, who is thought to be about 70 years old. But which one was bigger? Born in 1949 in Medelln, Colombia, Escobar was the son of a poor farmer. (Both have been captured and are in the US; the elder Lopez testified against Guzman.). Pablo Escobar was linked to hundreds of murders, but still managed to be involved in politics and help out the poor in his community. In 1974, police officers discovered more than $130,000 USD in cash in Barnes's car, and claimed that he tried to bribe them. Escobar, along with his family, fled from prison, where he had been held. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. When they burst through the door, Escobar scrambled onto the rooftop. Although the market was flooded with product from Nicky Barnes and others with street nicknames like Tru Blu, Mean Machine, Could Be Fatal, Dick Down, Boody, Cooley High, Capone, Ding Dong, Fuck Me, Fuck You, Nice, Nice to Be Nice, Oh -- Can't Get Enough of That Funky Stuff, Tragic Magic, Gerber, The Judge, 32, 32-20, O.D., Correct, Official Correct, Past Due, Payback, Revenge, Green Tape, Red Tape, Rush, Swear to God, PraisePraisePraise, KillKillKill, Killer 1, Killer 2, KKK, Good Pussy, Taster's Choice, Harlem Hijack, Joint and Insured for Life, Lucas's "Blue Magic" was the most sought-after. This notorious drug lord became a household name, but he started off as just a petty criminal. This zoo included four hippopotamuses that hed illegally imported into Colombia in the 1980s. The cartel or people tied to it have appeared in West and North Africa. After he escaped from La Catedral in July 1992, Escobar was on the run for 16 months. A post shared by Music Monopoly Media Group (@musicmonopoly). By four o'clock, we had enough niggers in the street to make a Tarzan movie. Reuters / Corbis. Pablo Escobar, a farmer's son from rural Colombia, and Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, a product of Mexico's rugged Sierra Madre mountains, delivered immeasurable amounts of cocaine and other drugs to. Officially, a special Colombian task force organized to find Pablo Escobar, known as Search Bloc, killed the drug kingpin. While it is true that -- as the anonymous DEA official told Forbes -- Guzman exports cocaine, heroin, marijuana and methamphetamine while Escobar only dealt cocaine, this is likely more a product of geography and history . In 2004, Blanco was deported back to Colombia. But Escobars violent career made life difficult for his family. He set up secret labs in Colombian jungles where he had hundreds of workers living and working to make cocaine. He spent lavishly on himself and his family and was a patron of local causes, building apartments and soccer fields, and handing out cash to the poor. His ruthless drug cartels and extravagant lifestyle earned him the nickname "The Queen of the Desert." According to one report, cartel henchmen dug a tunnel under the prison only to come up under the wrong section. Before his detainment in the U.S., El Chapo escaped from maximum security prisons in Mexico, reportedly said he'd killed 2,000 to 3,000 people and appeared on Forbes's billionaires list from 2009 and 2012. He was convicted of all charges in February following his November 2018 trial. Then, she fled with Juan Pablo and her mother to Argentina. Not surprisingly, their operation drew the attention of law enforcement whose Operation Banshee - the largest sting of that era - busted them in 1975. Pablo Escobar was linked to hundreds of murders, but still managed to be involved in politics and help out the poor in his community. The idea of teaming with HBO felt like the perfect fit for finally bringing Griseldas story to life.. Colombias government attempted to shut down Escobars illegal empire, which was the source of the countrys discontent. I grew up being molded by Pablo to be his wife and the mother of his children, not to ask questions or challenge his choices, to look the other way, she wrote. Titelmedia strives to ensure that its Website services and content are accessible With an estimated worth of 24billion, Escobar made the Forbes' billionaires list of the world's richest people seven years in a row beginning in 1987 and peaked at number seven in 1989. Guzman has proven to be resilient and crafty, but his conviction in the US would seem to mark the end of the 61-year-old's long career, with US officials turning their attention to the $14 billion they say he stashed away. He was an associate of Guadalajara Cartel leader Miguel ngel Flix Gallardo from the 1980s to 1990s. Escobar was very open about his wealth and power, and often flaunted it in the face of the authorities. Pablo Escobar was a Colombian drug lord who was one of the most powerful and influential people in the world. At its peak, the Sinaloa cartel operated in up to 50 countries, including the United States, at a time when there were no borders. In a bold and perhaps last-ditch effort to avoid capture, Carillo Fuentes underwent cosmetic surgery at Santa Mnica Hospital in Mexico City where he underwent procedures on his face and abdomen under the care of physician, Jaime Godoy Singh. As they climbed to the top, Escobar and Guzman amassed obscene amounts of wealth and exposed the world to shocking horrors. She graduated from Oberlin College, where she earned a double degree in American History and French. Getty Images / James McGrath/NY Daily News Archive. Sign up for notifications from Insider! Their reigns have come to an end, but their reputations for decadence and cruelty endure. Can Birds Benefit From Eating Quinoa? The Colombian government, with US assistance, deployed a special force to bring Escobar down, though that force was badly bloodied in its first encounter with the cartel. Additionally, he would often lead surveillance teams on hundred-mile-an-hour car rides into New York City and then out again with no apparent purpose. They raised eyebrows when they were suspected in the death of former cartel pilot turned informant Barry Seal. They collect their money, while other people do all of the dirty work and put themselves in danger just for a piece of the action. They were just thrust into the upper ranks of the cartel. YouTubePablo Escobar, pictured with his son Juan Pablo, his daughter Manuela, and his wife Maria Victoria Henao. A Look At This Nutrient-Packed Superfood For Your Feathered Friends, Finding The Perfect Pot Size For Your 6 Birds Nest Fern: An Overview Of The Pros And Cons, Stop Feeding Birds In The Oregon Fall: Tips And Tricks For Keeping Feathered Friends Safe And Healthy, Who Was Jack The Ripper? Escobars father, Abel de Jess Dari Escobar Echeverri, was a farmer and a watchman. Pablo Escobar died after being shot in the leg, torso, and ear, while fleeing Colombian authorities on rooftops in the Los Olivos barrio of Medelln. He was responsible for the deaths of hundreds, if not thousands, of people. Griselda Blanco's exploits dismiss that idea. In any case, the two groups worked tirelessly to track down the drug lord and kill him. Nationwide, violence continues to rise, but in Sinaloa, the trend has reversed; that change has been attributed to renewed stability within the Sinaloa cartel, which now may be lashing out at rivals. But instead, the animals thrived. [1] [2] Warren Buffet, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk are all richer than Escobar ever wasand have lasted longer in that position than he did. And Escobars massive fortune meant that his son never lacked for anything. Now their population has grown to more than 100 and they are posing a threat to Colombia's ecosystem. Griselda Blanco's name has come up again recently after Jennifer Lopez attached herself to a project about her life. A lot of great answers here but i would add that Pablo Escobar was, for many, the first drug lord they had ever heard of. How much of narcos is true? $320 million: Escobar's. Though it only cost him between $1000 and $4000 to refine and transport a single kilo of his cocaine to the states, his operatives in America could charge consumers between $50,000 and $70,000 for the same amount. Please be aware that our efforts to maintain accessibility and usability are ongoing. Today, it would be more than double that, making him the richest person in the world (and surpassing Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, the actual richest people in the world, by almost $20 billion.).