Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada García, the 76-year-old co-founder of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, was sentenced to life in prison by a US federal court in Brooklyn after a plea deal in which he admitted to shipping large quantities of cocaine and other drugs into the United States.
Key facts
- Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada García was sentenced to life in prison in a US federal court on Monday.
- The case unfolded in federal court in Brooklyn, New York.
- Zambada, 76, co-founded and led the Sinaloa cartel.
- He was also ordered to pay $15bn, according to the BBC.
- He entered a plea deal last year admitting to shipping vast amounts of cocaine and other substances.
Ismael Zambada García, the Mexican drug lord known as ‘El Mayo’, was sentenced to life in prison by a US federal court on Monday, according to multiple news outlets. The sentence follows a plea deal last year in which he admitted to shipping vast amounts of cocaine and other substances as leader of the Sinaloa cartel, the Guardian reported.
Zambada, who is 76, co-founded and led the Sinaloa cartel, described by outlets including Al Jazeera and the BBC as one of Mexico’s most violent drug organisations. The Guardian reported he is one of the most high-profile Mexican drug traffickers to be sentenced in a US court in recent years.
The case unfolded in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, according to the Guardian. Sky News reported that Zambada trafficked substances into the US for the Sinaloa cartel over a period spanning decades.
In addition to the life sentence, Zambada was ordered to pay $15bn after admitting to sending vast amounts of drugs to the US, according to the BBC.
The Guardian noted that Zambada’s sentencing comes after his fellow Sinaloa leader Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán was sentenced to life in prison in 2019, marking another significant conviction of a senior cartel figure in a US court.
Why it matters
Zambada was one of the most senior figures in a cartel accused of trafficking enormous quantities of drugs into the United States over decades. His life sentence and $15bn financial penalty represent a major development in US efforts to prosecute leaders of Mexico's most powerful criminal networks.
Frequently asked questions
Who is El Mayo?
Ismael Zambada García, known as 'El Mayo', is a 76-year-old Mexican drug lord who co-founded and led the Sinaloa cartel and trafficked drugs into the United States, according to the sources.
What sentence did he receive?
He was sentenced to life in prison by a US federal court in Brooklyn, New York, and was also ordered to pay $15bn, according to the BBC.
Did he plead guilty?
Yes. According to the Guardian, Zambada entered a plea deal last year in which he admitted to shipping vast amounts of cocaine and other substances as leader of the Sinaloa cartel.