"For more than four decades, Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada ruled from the shadows. While other top Mexican drug traffickers were killed or extradited to the United States to face justice, Zambada remained comfortably ensconced atop his empire, exporting tons of cocaine, meth, heroin and fentanyl around the globe from his stronghold in the Pacific state of Sinaloa. Long after the downfall of his Sinaloa cartel partner, Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, Zambada continued to operate with impunity,"
"Zambada, 75, will mark a final chapter Monday afternoon in his legendary criminal career when he is set to appear before a federal judge in Brooklyn and plead guilty to an array of charges for leading a "continuing criminal enterprise" from the late 1980s until his arrest last year. He admitted to money laundering, kidnapping, murder and drug conspiracies. Zamabada's stunning downfall began last July when he arrived on a private jet at a small airport near El Paso, Texas."
Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada led the Sinaloa cartel from the shadows for more than four decades, exporting large quantities of cocaine, meth, heroin and fentanyl worldwide. He retained power after Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán's downfall and operated with relative impunity until his arrest. At 75, he agreed to plead guilty in federal court in Brooklyn to leading a continuing criminal enterprise and admitted to money laundering, kidnapping, murder and drug conspiracy charges. Zambada arrived last July on a private jet near El Paso amid rumors he surrendered for medical treatment or to reunite with family in witness protection. He denies a prearranged surrender and alleges he was set up and kidnapped by Joaquín Guzmán López, claiming he was lured to what he thought would be a meeting involving Sinaloa's governor and another politician.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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