Ismael Zambada García

Zambada pleaded guilty in Brooklyn to being a principal leader of a continuing criminal enterprise and to a RICO violation. He also agreed to entry of a $15 billion forfeiture judgment at sentencing.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Accused

Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada acknowledged being a principal leader of the Sinaloa cartel's continuing criminal enterprise from the late 1980s until his arrest in 2024. The DOJ describes him as a co-founder of the cartel alongside Joaquín Guzmán and one of its longest-serving leaders.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Directly implicated

Under Zambada's leadership, the cartel imported and distributed massive quantities of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and, later, fentanyl into the United States. At his guilty plea, authorities described the distribution of more than 1.5 million kilograms of cocaine within the enterprise, in addition to other drugs.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Directly implicated

The RICO case transferred from Texas included murder conspiracies, state-law predicates involving murder and kidnapping, and other violence intended to protect the enterprise. The DOJ describes groups of hitmen acting on Zambada's orders to eliminate rivals and people suspected of cooperating with authorities.

State of the evidence

Admitted by the person

Attribution

Directly implicated

The DOJ states that Zambada controlled or used a network of corrupt officials and agents who protected cartel employees and shipments, provided escorts, warned of military operations and supplied information about investigations. He admitted making corrupt payments to enable his organisation to operate.

Attribution

Directly implicated

Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn formally added a conspiracy to manufacture and distribute fentanyl destined for the United States and extended several alleged criminal periods to January 2024. Zambada remained a fugitive, with a US reward of up to $15 million.

Attribution

Accused

Zambada was arrested near El Paso, Texas, alongside Joaquín Guzmán López, a son of "El Chapo". The capture ended decades during which he had led the cartel while avoiding imprisonment.

Attribution

Directly implicated

Transferred to New York, Zambada appeared before a federal court in Brooklyn on seventeen charges concerning his alleged cartel leadership, drug trafficking, weapons, money laundering and a fentanyl conspiracy. Prosecutors described an organisation employing thousands of people, with routes protected through corruption and groups of hitmen.

Attribution

Accused

While remaining at liberty in Mexico, Zambada was indicted in several US federal jurisdictions: the District of Columbia, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern District of New York, Western District of Texas, Southern District of California and Central District of California. Charges covered drug trafficking, continuing criminal enterprise, money laundering, murder and racketeering.

Attribution

Accused