Organised crime and cartels

103 profiles

9 profiles of this category are not translated yet: see the French page.

Sort: by name · by number of controversies

Mexico · Gulf Cartel / drug trafficking / Matamoros / federal justice / security operations

Antonio Ezequiel Cárdenas Guillén

Documented profile covering 6 controversies, including “2007–2010: joint leadership of Gulf Cartel with Jorge Eduardo Costilla after Osiel's extradition” and “2000s: control of Matamoros–Brownsville corridor and supervision of multi-tonne shipments”.

6 controversies · 7 sources1 formal charge

No. 2180

United States · crime / mafias / terrorism / criminal cases — gambling, betting, organised crime

Organised crime and cartelsViolent crime and serial killers

Arnold Rothstein

Documented profile covering 6 controversies, including “Mid-1920s: Historians attribute major financing role in narcotics trafficking” and “1928: Disputed gambling debt, murder at Park Central Hotel and subsequent acquittal of principal suspect”.

6 controversies · 8 sources

No. 2105

Colombia · organised crime / cocaine trafficking / Medellín Cartel / extradition / paramilitarism

Organised crime and cartels

Jorge Luis Ochoa Vásquez

Documented profile covering 6 controversies, including “1996: Released after approximately five and a half years — controversy over scale of sentence reductions” and “1993: Convicted of drug trafficking, criminal conspiracy and illicit enrichment”.

6 controversies · 14 sources2 convictions3 formal charges

No. 2602

Mexico · Crime / mafias / terrorism / criminal cases

Organised crime and cartels

Samuel Flores Borrego

Documented profile covering 6 controversies, including “Plaza boss in Reynosa and Miguel Alemán and collection of intelligence on police operations” and “Leadership of Gulf Cartel attacks against Los Zetas around Reynosa”.

6 controversies · 7 sources1 formal charge

No. 2124

United States · organised crime / cocaine trafficking / money laundering / BMF / federal clemency

Organised crime and cartels

Terry Flenory

Documented profile covering 6 controversies, including “12 December 2024–2025: Joe Biden commutes federal sentence — not a pardon” and “2020: Home confinement during pandemic following consideration of health and clean disciplinary record”.

6 controversies · 6 sources1 conviction1 formal charge

Portrait not available No. 2106

Colombia · organised crime / cocaine trafficking / Medellín Cartel / paramilitarism / surrender to justice

Organised crime and cartels

Juan David Ochoa Vásquez

Documented profile covering 5 controversies, including “1996: Released after five years and five months through sentence reductions” and “1994: Sentenced to 93 months after prosecution agreement for drug trafficking, criminal conspiracy, illicit enrichment and laboratory financing”.

5 controversies · 7 sources1 conviction1 formal charge

No. 2014

United States · Organised crime / Lucchese family / taxation / union racketeering / JFK

Organised crime and cartels

Paul Vario

Documented profile covering 4 controversies, including “1986: pleads guilty in JFK extortion racket and receives six years in prison” and “1984: convicted of having false information submitted to prison and parole authorities”.

4 controversies · 5 sources3 convictions3 formal charges