"For the United States, Ismael El Mayo Zambada was a principal leader of a continuing criminal enterprise known as the Sinaloa Cartel. In addition to the alias El Mayo, he was known by the nickname Doc, according to one of the several accusations filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office against the drug lord, who pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy and directing a drug trafficking criminal enterprise."
"Washington maintains that the Sinaloa Cartel had operated at least since the 1990s thanks to the corruption of Mexican police officials, politicians, and judges. Zambada himself admitted this claim in his hearing in federal court in New York, where he said that he had indeed paid bribes to security officials and politicians, although he did not name any names, nor will he, according to the drug lord's defense team."
"The figure recorded by the United States is just the tip of the iceberg of the veteran drug trafficker's fortune. Judge Brian Cogan ordered the confiscation of Zambada's assets and property totaling $15 billion (280 billion pesos). The figure is stratospheric, but it is largely explained by the fact that, according to Zambada's own statement, he had been involved in the illicit drug trafficking business for nearly six decades, until his downfall last year."
Ismael El Mayo Zambada pleaded guilty to conspiracy and directing a drug trafficking criminal enterprise tied to the Sinaloa Cartel. U.S. prosecutors allege the cartel operated since the 1990s aided by corrupt Mexican police, politicians, and judges, and that El Mayo admitted to paying bribes without naming recipients. Authorities say cartel leaders, including Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, earned up to $10 million gross annually from cocaine distribution in the United States, plus multimillion-dollar profits from marijuana, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. Judge Brian Cogan ordered forfeiture of Zambada's assets and property totaling $15 billion.
Read at english.elpais.com
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