Photo: YiFeiBot National Police of Colombia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Born in Colombia · Nationality Colombian — organised crime / paramilitarism / drug trafficking / homicides

Daniel Rendón Herrera

Documented profile covering 13 controversies, including “2023: Further Colombian 36-year sentence for 59 Bloque Centauros offences” and “17 October 2022: 35 years in federal prison and $45.75 million forfeiture”.

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Profile No. 2247 · Updated on 12 October 2026

13Documented controversies

11Sources

7 followed by a conviction

§ Legal statuses reflect the documented sources as of the date shown; they replace neither court decisions nor the presumption of innocence. Counts are not a rating. Methodology

I. Documented controversies

Case · 2 documented stages

2023: Further Colombian 36-year sentence for 59 Bloque Centauros offences

Conviction

2002–2004; jugement 2023

2023: Further Colombian 36-year sentence for 59 Bloque Centauros offences

Conviction

A Colombian court sentenced Rendón Herrera to 36 years for participation in 59 criminal acts attributed to Bloque Centauros in Meta between 2002 and 2004, recognising his role as organiser and leader.

State of the evidence: Established by a court
Legal status — source text: 36-year Colombian prison sentence
Attribution: Accused

Sources · 1

[1]
El TiempoLa dura condena contra alias Don Mario por crímenes del Bloque CentaurosPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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fin des années 1990–2006

Late 1990s–2006: Leadership role within AUC and Bloque Centauros

Conviction

Rendón Herrera held leadership and financing positions within the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia, particularly Bloque Centauros. Colombian court records and his American guilty plea place his drug-trafficking activities within this paramilitary context.

State of the evidence: Admitted by the person

Sources · 1

[1]
U.S. Department of JusticeColombian Drug Kingpin and Paramilitary Leader Pleads Guilty to Operating a Continuing Criminal Enterprise and Conspiring to Provide Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist OrganizationOfficial documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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Case · 4 documented stages

17 October 2022: 35 years in federal prison and $45.75 million forfeiture

Conviction

2022-10-17

17 October 2022: 35 years in federal prison and $45.75 million forfeiture

Conviction

A federal court in Brooklyn sentenced Rendón Herrera to 35 years' imprisonment for the criminal drug-trafficking enterprise; a 15-year sentence for material support to the AUC was imposed concurrently. The court also ordered forfeiture of 45.75 million dollars.

Legal status — source text: 35-year sentence and $45.75 million forfeiture
Attribution: Accused

Sources · 1

[1]
U.S. Department of JusticeColombian Drug Kingpin and Paramilitary Leader Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Operating a Continuing Criminal Enterprise and Conspiring to Provide Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist OrganizationOfficial documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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2021-11-02

2 November 2021: US guilty plea, admits responsibility for 73.645 tonnes of cocaine and material support for AUC

Conviction

Before the federal court in Brooklyn, Rendón Herrera pleaded guilty to leading a continuing criminal enterprise and conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organisation. He accepted responsibility for at least 73 645 kg of cocaine.

Attribution: Accused

Sources · 1

[1]
U.S. Department of JusticeColombian Drug Kingpin and Paramilitary Leader Pleads Guilty to Operating a Continuing Criminal Enterprise and Conspiring to Provide Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist OrganizationOfficial documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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2018-04-23

23 April 2018: Extradition from Colombia to United States

Formally charged

Following several postponements intended in particular to protect Colombian victims' rights, Rendón Herrera was extradited to the United States to face federal charges involving a criminal drug-trafficking enterprise.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Accused

Sources · 1

[1]
U.S. Department of JusticeColombian Drug Kingpin Extradited to The United States to Face Charges of Operating a Continuing Criminal EnterpriseOfficial documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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2006–2009

2006–2009: Remobilisation after demobilisation and founding/leadership of Urabeños

Conviction

Following the demobilisation of part of the AUC, Rendón Herrera did not permanently abandon drug trafficking and reconstituted armed structures that became the Urabeños, also known as Clan Úsuga and later Clan del Golfo. The group financed its activities through cocaine trafficking and levies on shipments.

State of the evidence: Admitted by the person

Sources · 2

[1]
U.S. Department of JusticeColombian Drug Kingpin and Paramilitary Leader Pleads Guilty to Operating a Continuing Criminal Enterprise and Conspiring to Provide Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist OrganizationOfficial documentVery high reliability
[2]
El TiempoColaboraré con víctimas: 'Don Mario', tras expulsión de Justicia y PazPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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2003-03-12–2019-02-19

2003: Abduction and murder of Leoncio Vega in Lejanías; 20 years and 10 months' imprisonment

Conviction

A Bloque Centauros squad abducted Leoncio Vega, whom the paramilitaries described as a FARC collaborator, before murdering him. After accepting responsibility, Rendón Herrera was sentenced in 2019 to 20 years and 10 months.

State of the evidence: Established by a court
Legal status — source text: 20 years 10 months in prison in Colombia
Attribution: Accused

Sources · 1

[1]
El TiempoCondenan a ‘Don Mario’ a 20 años de prisión por homicidio en el MetaPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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2008–2009; jugement 2016

2008–2009: Homicides, forced displacement and extortion in Montelíbano; 21-year sentence

Conviction

A further Colombian conviction in 2016 concerned homicide, forced displacement, aggravated extortion and weapons offences committed in the Montelíbano area after paramilitary demobilisation.

State of the evidence: Established by a court
Legal status — source text: 21-year Colombian prison sentence
Attribution: Accused

Sources · 1

[1]
El TiempoA 21 años de cárcel fue condenado exjefe paramilitar alias Don MarioPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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2008-03-28–2013-11-05

March 2008: Massacre of five people, including GAULA members; 33-year sentence

Conviction

Five people, including two GAULA police officers and a former officer of that unit, were killed at a finca in Turbo. A Colombian court sentenced Rendón Herrera to 33 years for criminal conspiracy, aggravated homicides and unlawful possession of military weapons.

State of the evidence: Established by a court
Legal status — source text: 33-year Colombian prison sentence

Sources · 1

[1]
El Tiempo'Don Mario' deberá pagar 33 años de cárcelPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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2013-09-09

September 2013: Definitively excluded from Justicia y Paz for post-demobilisation crimes

Investigation

A court excluded Rendón Herrera from the Justicia y Paz framework because he had continued committing crimes after demobilisation. He thereby lost access to the maximum alternative sentence available under that scheme.

State of the evidence: Documented

Sources · 1

[1]
El TiempoColaboraré con víctimas: 'Don Mario', tras expulsión de Justicia y PazPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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2003-05-16–2011-01-17

2003: Abduction and murder of lawyer José Absalom Achury; 17-year sentence

Conviction

Following the abduction and murder of lawyer José Absalom Achury Flórez in Meta, Rendón Herrera accepted the charges in an expedited procedure and received a 17-year sentence in 2011 for aggravated homicide, unlawful detention and criminal conspiracy.

State of the evidence: Established by a court
Legal status — source text: 17-year Colombian prison sentence
Attribution: Accused

Sources · 1

[1]
El TiempoCondenado a 17 años de prisión Daniel Rendón Herrera 'Don Mario'PressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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2002-09-03–2010-09-28

2002: Abduction, disappearance and murder of a 14-year-old girl; 29-year sentence in 2010

Conviction

A teenage girl was forcibly removed from a bus in Meta in September 2002. Rendón Herrera accepted responsibility under Justicia y Paz and was convicted in 2010 as a co-perpetrator of aggravated criminal conspiracy, homicide of a protected person and aggravated enforced disappearance.

State of the evidence: Established by a court
Legal status — source text: 29-year Colombian prison sentence
Attribution: Accused

Sources · 1

[1]
El TiempoNueva condena a alias 'Don Mario', esta vez por el crimen de una menor de edadPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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2009-04-15

15 April 2009: Captured at Cerro Azul following major operation

Investigation

After two years of investigation, Colombian prosecutors and police captured Rendón Herrera in the rural Cerro Azul area near Necoclí. Several hundred officers were involved in the operation.

State of the evidence: Documented

Sources · 1

[1]
Fiscalía General de la Nación (Colombia)Informe de Gestión 2008-2009Official documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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II. Constellation of documented links

Linked profile (portrait or initials) — click to open it
Line width: number of documented references
Hover over or tap a line: controversies and sources

Two profiles are linked when a documented controversy of one names the other. The link points to that controversy and its sources; it does not indicate a personal relationship.

List of documented links (1)

Dairo Antonio Úsuga1 documented reference
- From 2009: Rise to leadership of Urabeños / Clan del Golfo Source ↗

III. Has something changed?

A new court decision, a missing source, a mistake? Tell us what should be updated: every request is read by the editorial team.

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