Griselda Blanco, bynames Godmother of Cocaine, the Godmother, and Black Widow, (born February 15, 1943, Santa Marta?, Colombiadied September 3, 2012, Medelln), Colombian cocaine trafficker who amassed a vast empire and was a central figure in the violent drug wars in Miami in the 1970s and '80s. This section provides you information about the life and crimes of notorious Drug Lords from all over the world. He was sent to jail in 1987 for almost whole life, but then his punishment was later reduced to almost 55 years but still in jail. He has a brand called Mean Machine which supplies all drugs to the users and earning profit from that. Jose would continue to resist arrest and fight the government before he was killed in a police raid in 1989. He has been supplying cocaine to almost all parts of USA and has made millions from that. Juan died in 2013, while both Jorge and Fabio have kept low profiles after being released from prison in the 1990s. Within months she had left town, ending her hopes of a career as an investigative reporter. Drugs have always been a part of human history in some shape or form, but it wasnt until more recently that certain people came together to form massive operations/empires that engage in the production, distribution, and sale of illicit narcotics. Camaros, Trans-Am, Mercedes, Audi, I had them all, she said, remembering her favorite, a Bentley. She met her new love, Juan Diego Espinoza, a handsome young Colombian cocaine dealer who, interviewed years later in prison, then estimated he was moving 10 tons of cocaine every month from Colombia to the US, via Mexico. All were murdered during Mexico's ongoing cocaine wars. Fabio Ochoa Vsquez gained notoriety as a key member of thehighly-organizedMedelln cocaine trafficking cartel. Now, let's take a look at the 10 richest drug lords of all time. She was shot dead on September 3, 2012, at the age of 69. One of his most infamous acts was his involvement in the kidnapping and eventual murder of DEA Agent Kiki Camarena, for which Quintero was eventually convicted. He then also started selling cocaine and made many dollars from that. She was once one of the most powerful people in the world of Latin gangs, and exerted her control over Central America, where she was in control of a drug trafficking ring, and money laundering, but on an epic scale. vila passed her time in isolation by reviving her journalist dream: she imagined she was a correspondent, writing and broadcasting newscasts. Christopher Cokes attitude in court in 2012 was remarkably unapologetic, with him stating Im pleading guilty because I am, before being given his 23-year sentence. Megan Janetsky. Levyas forfeiture amount was set based on a forgiving estimate of the value of the cocaine that he smuggled to the United States border. Being incarcerated for long periods, he later turned to writing, publishing fifteen books between 1991 and 2011. He was even played by Robert De Niro in "The Untouchables." El Chapo isn't the biggest and the richest drug kingpin of all time by a long shot. He was returning now as one of Suriname's richest, most powerful and popular men, to bring electricity to his long-neglected community composed of the descendants of people who escaped slavery . Alice Walton . Juan, Jorge and Fabio Ochoa, known as the aforementioned Ochoa Brothers, were involved in the Medellin Cartel during its 1980s heyday. First you have to attack poverty. He was then never really locked up and lived out the remainder of his life in Rangoon. German-Colombian drug kingpin Carlos Lehder, co-founder of the Medelln Cartel, which smuggled cocaine into the U.S., formed the Muerte a Secuestradores, to fight against the kidnappings of his cartel members. They were associates of Pablo Escobar and extremely wealthy in their own right. He is getting all this publicity because we live in the social media age. Paul Lir Alexander is known as one of the richest Brazilian drug lords. Who is the biggest drug dealer in history? 03 During Pablo Escobar's era, his net worth is around $30 billion or equivalent to nearly $60 billion in today's money. She is commonly called as the Godmother of Cocaine and is called one of the most dangerous ones. 8. Jose Gonzalo Rodriguez Gacha was one of the leaders of the Medellin Cartel and was actually included in Forbes' billionaires list in 1988. The Ochoa Brothers were already producing and trafficking cocaine before the Medellin Cartel was formed, and it made sense for them to join forces with Escobar, Rodriquez, and others. The . He has been estimated to be worth some $1 billion dollars, and is known for his various prison escapes. #18 Freeway Ricky Ross - Net Worth $1 Million. He also owns his armed troops and hangers for the safety of his business. Rank the Most Wicked Colombian Drug Lords, (Colombian Drug Lady of the Medelln Cartel), (Former Key Member of 'Medelln Cartel', Serving 30-Year Prison Term in the US), (Former Leader of the 'United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia' Paramilitary Group). Narco leaders would keep a harem of up to 10 women and this sexual freedom, she emphasized, does not extend to their female counterparts. Griselda Blanco, also known as La Madrina and the Black Widow, was the first billionaire female drug lord. His children are wealthy businesspeople in Myanmar today. . This King of the Golden Triangle changed his name to Khun Sa to reflect his trade power and maternal heritage, since the name means Prince Prosperous in the Burmese Shan dialect. For example, Al Capone's wealth in 2012 was reported at $1.3 billion by Business Insider. Bruce Reynolds was a British criminal who was the mastermind behind the Great Train Robbery in 1963. Until you've reached these levels, you really are just a small timer. That means $1.3 billion in 2012 is equivalent to nearly $1.47 billion in 2020. Dutch engineer and businessman Johannes van Damme was arrested atthe Singapore Changi Airport, convicted of drug trafficking and was given capital punishment after 4.32 kilograms (9.5lb) ofheroinwas found in a secret compartment of his trunk. 10. Legends state that he bought drugs from the "Golden Triangle" and smuggled them into the U.S. using the coffins of servicemen. That's worth $1.47 billion in today's money. And despite the horrendous bloodshed and estimated more than 100,000 deaths in Mexico over the past decades drug wars, she made one thing clear: she doesnt feel any guilt. His life and career have inspired several films and TV series. 1 of 41 This is one of the few photos in circulation of Enedina Arellano Felix. There are people with loads of money but they dont get out. Griselda Blanco: Griselda Blanco is the drug lord and was born in Colombia. The "Opium King" is the most successful drug lord, as he retired in 1996 and enjoyed his wealth for a good 11 years until his death. Tse Chi Lop, a Chinese-born Canadian national, was listed as . Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet. Escobar's infamy goes back too far and covers too much ground to be adequately covered here. Photo credit: EPA. His drug cartel monopolized the cocaine trade into the United States and he became one of the wealthiest criminals ever in history. Jose Gonzalo Rodriguez Gacha. People walked the streets with pistols at the waist with musicians walking and playing behind them, she said. The net worth value of this drug lord is almost $650 million. Ochoa Brothers is the drug dealer who was born in Colombia with the net worth value of $6 billion. Los Tucanes De Tijuana immortalized vila with their song, Sandra vila Beltrn, Mexicos former Queen of Cocaine, speaks out. He has also invested money in different construction and real estate projects. #16 Jos Figueroa Agosto - Net Worth $100 Million. 01 Pablo Escobar was born on December 1, 1949. But he was also recognized for his use of technology in his narcotics operations, considered to be pioneering for his use of airplanes to transport cocaine. He is seeking early release from prison because he suffers from prostate and colon cancer. They are known for their special team work to make revenue. Rodriquez assisted in setting up various trafficking routes throughout South and Latin America, in addition to constructing the various labs in the jungles where they actually made the cocaine. vila is the stuff legends are made of one of the few women with access to the highest levels of cartel life. He earned so much community support that capturing him in Kingston, Jamaica was a harrowing five-week ordeal with many casualties. Released in February 2015, she has been slowly recovering her contacts and composure. This made him one of the richest drug bosses ever with an estimated fortune of over US $25 billion. Click to continue reading and see the top 5 richest drug lords of all time. Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera - Net Worth: $1 Billion. Meet Mumbai's female drug dealer and who was the Queen of the drug underworld, Shashikala Ramesh Patankar. Raffaela D'Alterio is an Italian Mafia godmother who was the leader of a faction of the Camorra family. He was the focal member and founder of the Medellin Cartel, and was one of the wealthiest criminals in history. Women, she said, are looked at as objects, adornments or a necessity but never as a fighting being, or a person made of triumphs and achievements. You start to be a delinquent and then become violent, she said. Thanx))For copyright matters please contact us at: wlf.content@gmail.comEnjoy our list of the Most Powerful and Richest Female Gangsters and Crime Lords in the World. 12. Her status led her to become known as The Queen of the Pacific, in honor of her alleged prowess organizing a fleet of tuna boats laden with 10 tons of cocaine each as they navigated north from Mexicos Pacific coast towards the worlds number one cocaine market: the United States. The note said, spend the money on a trip that you want and there was an envelope. It held $100,000. He is involved in film industry financing, terrorism, supplying arms other than drug smuggling. Rodriguezwas born into poverty and eventually become a hitman during his youth. For face lotion we used the clear cream for hemorrhoids.. A notorious Colombian drug lord, Pablo Escobar was the founder and leader of the infamous Medelln Cartel. She became friendly with El Chapo Guzmn, dated a top leader of the Sinaloa cartel, commanded a 30-car flotilla and won shooting competitions with the head bodyguard to Rafael Caro Quintero, founder of the Guadalajara cartel. Today well be learning about 10 of the largest drug lords in the world according to their drug-based wealth and learning some unique facts about each one. "Ruthless and immensely powerful", several political leaders, such as President Virgilio Barco Vargas, became convinced that the drug . She said the support she got from other teams was 'overwhelming. Enedina Arellano Felix. Dubbed "The King of Cocaine",he left behind a controversial legacy upon his death at the age of 44. I couldnt believe when I was arrested and they called me by my name it was a relief to be arrested.. El Chapo isn't the biggest and the richest drug kingpin of all time by a long shot. In 2002, her luck turned. I decided to open the door and run. Pablo Escobars accountant claimed that he spent $2,500 a month on nothing but the rubber bands needed to wrap up his staggering amount of illegal cash. 10 Griselda Blanco. Pablo Escobar: $30 Billion - Topping the list of the richest drug lords. Photo from Cocaine Cowboys 2/Rakontur.com. 1 Joaqun 'El Chapo' Guzmn Mexican drug lord. The cocaine was valued at more than $11 billion and the marijuana was valued at $846 million. He began to organize a small militia group of fighters which would eventually grow into an army that fought for the Shan State. Click Manage settings for more information and to manage your choices. "La Jefa" is the first female drug lord to lead a Mexican cartel, running the Tijuana Cartel after her brothers fell . He dominated the Golden Triangle, controlling up to 70% of its heroin trade and becoming one of the most wanted men in the world by 1990. Griselda Blanco: Griselda Blanco is the drug lord and was born in Colombia. This Colombian Drug Kingpin, easily the best-known co-founder of the Medellin Cartel, had ambitions of becoming the President of Colombia. Her reign was set in the late '70s and early '80s, and she was reportedly the first female drug lord billionaire. That means $1.3 billion in 2012 is equivalent to nearly $1.47 billion in 2020. He once escaped from a high security jail by hiding in a laundry basket. He was involved in cocaine business on a small island and used to supply drugs to different places. Griselda Blanco Restrepo (February 15, 1943 - September 3, 2012), known as the Black Widow, was a Colombian drug lord of the Medelln Cartel, and in the Miami-based cocaine drug trade and underworld, during the 1970s through the early 2000s. We are going to assume El Chapo's wealth at $3 billion. She took me by the arm, hugged me and said if anyone asks, to tell them I was her niece. Months later, she and her partner Joel were ambushed on the way to breakfast. Consumer Price Index in 2012 was 229.6 and increased to 259.9 in 2020. According to the city of Chicago in the early 20 th century, Capone was The Boss of . Al Capone, also known by the nickname Scarface, was one of the most notorious American gangsters who controlled the organised crime in Chicago between 1925 and 1931. (The head of Sinaloa, Joaquin "Shorty" Guzman, was recently listed by Forbes as one of the world's richest people, with an estimated fortune of $1 billion.) The followings are top 10 richest and most famous drug lords of the world: 10. Around the age of 13, she witnessed her first shootout. . On September 3, 2012, she was shot and killed at the age of 69. Escobar, dubbed "The King of Cocaine," is the wealthiest criminal in history, with an estimated net worth of US$30 billion at the time of his death which is equivalent to $64 billion in 2021. Who is the biggest drug lord in history? During the height of their operations, the were estimated to have a combined net worth of some $6 billion dollars. Known as a narco corrido, this ode to cartel life described how vila once arrived fashionably late to a clandestine birthday party in the hills. They were arrested in 1991 and were out of . Then he was in prison but was later released in 2014 because of his strong approaches with famous and big people. You probably don't know this but Chicago is the number one drug distribution hub for Mexican drug cartels (see the top 13 US cities crowded by Mexican drug cartels) in the United States. These drug lords are not working legally in the market because drugs have a bad reputation, and people cannot purchase them directly from the market. Sandra vila Beltrn, 18 years old and deeply in love with Javier Caro, who would later be murdered. Narco trafficking is a business that has not been legalized, says vila. His net worth value is almost $52 million because of his enhanced business of drugs. Carlos Lehder - Net Worth $2.7 Billion. It's big and (has) been a long time coming . This German-Colombian drug lord helped to co-found the infamous Medellin Cartel, along with several other figures who make this list. Obviously these reporters aren't aware of inflation and time value of money. A parking lot for airplanes had been cleared from the forest, and the buzz of helicopters was constant. 10 Of The Most High End Furniture Brands in the World, 10 Luxury Things to Do in Amsterdam for Over $1,000, The 20 Most Luxurious Home Aquariums Money Can Buy. It is estimated that Dawood is worth around $6.7 billion dollars and he is currently one of the most wanted criminals. He fought extremely hard and violently against the Columbian government during the 1970s, 1980s, and the 1990s, and essentially was waging a war. vilas son was kidnapped and when she paid the $5m ransom, the police intensified their scrutiny; her name now adorned a most wanted poster. Thanx))For copyright matters pleas. She was also in prison in 1985 but then was released in 2004. While her childhood friends soon rose to become leaders of the Sinaloa cartel, young Sandra explored other routes, taking her verve and enrolling in journalism classes as a feisty 17 year old. How did El Chapo become a drug lord? I could see they were searching for me, I ducked down. Inside the front door of Sandra vila Beltrns home is an altar and lit candles that form a crowded shrine to her first husband (riddled by gunfire), her second husband (stabbed through the heart) and her brother (tortured to death). He later died in a Mexican hospital in 1997 after getting intensive plastic surgery in order to alter his appearance and avoid being recognized. Colombia's most wanted drug trafficker and the leader of the country's largest criminal gang has been captured.Dairo Antonio suga, better known as Otoniel, . From . She also, she said, made the best of her flirting skills. Griselda primarily worked in New York and Miami, helping with the cocaine shipments that ended up in the United States. A notorious Colombian drug lord, Pablo Escobar was the founder and leader of the infamous Medelln Cartel. She has the net worth value of almost $2 million. She gave me 50 pesos [$3] because I had left everything in the car and I escaped in a taxi.. Earning himself the title of No. Frank Lucas was portrayed by actor Denzel Washington in the 2007 movie American Gangster. He turned himself in during 1991 and served only five years. Known . I remember a suitor who bought me a pickup truck and left it at my friends house with flowers and a note, she said. Griselda Blanco, also known as La Madrina and the Black Widow, was the first billionaire female drug lord. In 2019 federal prosecutors estimated in their court documents that El Chapo handled 600,000 kilograms of . The government at times has to kill people because it is not convenient to imprison witnesses who could testify against them., The problem, she insisted, is not with those who cant leave the cartels, but those who prefer not to. Frank Lucas, Net Worth: $52 Million. But now they are both in separate prison facilities in the US serving out very long sentences. He was portrayed by Cujar on Netflix seriesNarcos. Bogota, Colombia - Security forces in Colombia have captured Dairo Antonio Usuga, the country's most wanted drug trafficker. The notorious narcoterrorist and drug lord from Colombia was born Pablo Emilion Escobar Gaviria. 8. There are several claims that Griseda's net worth when she was at the greatest point in her criminal activities was about $2 billion. He has escaped from prison twice over the course of his career, which has been dramatized on television programs like "Narcos: Mexico" and the Netflix/Univision co-production "El Chapo." Chicago also ranks #1 in our list of the top 10 U.S. cities with highest number of murders. The above ranking of top 10 richest drug lords of the world is given according to their net worth value in the market. He was involved in this bad business from the age of 19 years. As their operations grew, Rodriguez began to diversify himself more, owning ranches and gem mines. It is a business like alcohol [during prohibition] which was not legal In those days an alcohol salesman was considered a bad person but when they legalized it, the people who sold it became respectable. Three years later, El Chapo, by then one of the world's biggest drug lords, was arrested by . 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