Quick Info
| Profession | Drug Lord, Narcoterrorist, Politician |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Colombian |
| Date of Birth | 01/12/1949 |
| Age | 44 years (died on 02, Dec, 1993) |
| Birthplace | Rionegro, Colombia |
| Date of Death | 02/12/1993 |
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Bio/Wiki
| Full Name | Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria |
|---|---|
| Description | Colombian drug lord and founder/leader of the Medellín Cartel. Controlled over 80% of cocaine shipped to the United States in the 1980s-early 1990s. Estimated net worth of $30 billion, named one of the 10 richest people on Earth by Forbes. |
| Notable Achievement | Arguably the world's most powerful drug trafficker in the 1980s and early 1990s |
Personal Life
| Early Criminal Activity | Began crime as teenager; stole tombstones (sandblasting off names and reselling), sold fake diplomas, smuggled stereo equipment, sold phony lottery tickets, stole cars, trafficked marijuana |
|---|
Family
| Father | Farmer |
|---|---|
| Mother | Schoolteacher |
| Childhood | Moved to Envigado, Colombia (suburb of Medellín) soon after birth |
Career
| Criminal Timeline | 1970s-1993 |
|---|---|
| Key Organization | Medellín Cartel (founded mid-1970s) |
| Notable Partners |
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| Operations | Production, transport, and sale of cocaine; established smuggling routes from Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador through Colombia to United States |
| Peak Operations | By 1980s, led monthly shipments of 70-80 tons of cocaine into US from Colombia |
| Political Role | Elected to Colombian Chamber of Representatives in March 1982 |
| Surrender | June 1991 to Colombian authorities |
| Escape | July 1992 from prison |
| Death | Shot and killed by Colombian National Police on December 2, 1993 in Medellín while attempting to escape across rooftops |
Style Quotient
| Public Image Strategy | Sponsored charity projects and soccer clubs to gain popularity |
|---|---|
| Notorious Policy | Plata o plomo (Silver or Lead) - officials could accept bribes or face death |
Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. Escaped 1976 arrest by bribing judge after 39 kg of cocaine found in spare tire of his truck | |
| 2. Two DAS agents who arrested him were murdered the next year | |
| 3. Cartel placed bomb aboard airplane in 1989 killing over 100 people in attempt to kill alleged informant | |
| 4. Stated he would rather have grave in Colombia than jail cell in US | |
| 5. Medellín Cartel collapsed soon after his death | |
| 6. His handpicked bodyguards were allowed to secure prison during 1991 surrender, enabling continued drug empire operations |