Griselda Blanco

Griselda Blanco Restrepo[2] (February 15, 1943 – September 3, 2012), known as La Madrina, the Black Widow, the Cocaine Godmother and the Queen of Narco-Trafficking, was a Colombian drug lord of the Medellín Cartel and a pioneer in the Miami-based cocaine drug trade and underworld during the 1980s through the early 2000s. It has been estimated that she was responsible for up to 2,000 murders while transporting cocaine from Colombia to New York, Miami and Southern California.[3][4][5] She was shot and killed on September 3, 2012, at the age of 69.[6] At her height, Blanco was one of the richest and most dangerous women in the world, and was the most powerful drug kingpin in the world. She became the first-ever billionaire female criminal, ruling her multi-million dollar drug trafficking empire with an iron fist, and becoming one of the deadliest women of all time.

"The Godmother" redirects here. For the biographical film based on Blanco's life, see The Godmother (film).
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Blanco and the second or maternal family name is Restrepo.

Griselda Blanco
Mugshot of Griselda Blanco, 1997
Born
Griselda Blanco Restrepo

(1943-02-15)February 15, 1943
Cartagena, Bolívar, Colombia[1]
DiedSeptember 3, 2012(2012-09-03) (aged 69)
Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
Cause of deathGunshot wounds
NationalityColombian
Other namesLa Dama de la Mafia (The Lady of the Mafia)
The Godmother
The Black Widow
Net worthU.S $2 billion (2012 estimate)
Criminal statusDeceased
Spouse(s)Zulma Andino Trujillo
Alberto Bravo
Darío Sepúlveda
Charles Cosby
Children4
Parent(s)Ana Lucia Restrepo and Fernando Blanco
Criminal chargeDrug trafficking, murder
Medellín Cartel

Biography

Early life

Blanco was born in Cartagena, Colombia, on the country's north coast. She and her mother, Ana Lucía Restrepo,[7] moved to Medellín when she was three years old. Upon arriving there, she quickly adopted a criminal lifestyle. Blanco's former lover, Charles Cosby, recounted that at the age of 11, Blanco allegedly kidnapped, attempted to ransom and eventually shot a child from an upscale flatland neighborhood near her own neighborhood.[1][8][9] Blanco had become a pickpocket before she even turned 13. To escape the sexual assaults of her mother's boyfriend, Blanco ran away from home at the age of 16 and resorted to looting in Medellín until the age of 20.[1][8]

Drug business
See also: Miami Drug War

Blanco was a major figure in the history of the drug trade from Colombia to Miami, New York, and California.

In the mid-1970s, Blanco and her second husband Alberto Bravo illegally immigrated to the US with fake passports, settling in Queens, New York. They established a sizable cocaine business there, and in April 1975, Blanco was indicted on federal drug conspiracy charges along with 30 of her subordinates. She fled to Colombia before she could be arrested, but returned to the United States, settling in Miami in the late 1970s.

Blanco's return to the US from Colombia more or less coincided with the beginning of very public violent conflicts that involved hundreds of murders and killings yearly which were associated with the high crime epidemic that swept the City of Miami in the 1980s. Law enforcement's struggle to put an end to the influx of cocaine into Miami led to the creation of CENTAC 26 (Central Tactical Unit), a joint operation between Miami-Dade Police Department and DEA anti-drug operation.[10][11]

Blanco was involved in the drug-related violence known as the Miami Drug War or the Cocaine Cowboy Wars that plagued Miami in the late 1970s and early 1980s. This was a time when cocaine was trafficked more than marijuana.[12] It was the lawless and corrupt atmosphere, primarily created by Blanco's operations, that led to the gangsters being dubbed the "Cocaine Cowboys" and their violent way of doing business as the "Miami drug war".

Her distribution network, which spanned the United States, brought in US$80,000,000 per month.[1] Her violent business style brought government scrutiny to South Florida, leading to the demise of her organization and the free-wheeling, high-profile Miami drug scene of those times.

In 1984, Blanco's willingness to use violence against her Miami competitors or anyone else who displeased her, led her rivals to make repeated attempts to assassinate her. In an attempt to escape the hits that were called on her, she fled to California.

Arrest

On February 18, 1985, she was arrested by DEA agents in her home and held without bail. After her trial, Blanco was sentenced to more than a decade in jail.[13] While in prison, she continued to effectively run her cocaine business with the help of her son Michael Blanco.

By pressuring one of Blanco's lieutenants, the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office obtained sufficient evidence to indict Blanco for three murders. However, the case collapsed due to technicalities relating to a telephone-sex scandal between the star witness and female secretaries in the District attorney's office. In 2002, Blanco suffered a heart attack while imprisoned.[14]

In 2004, Blanco was released from prison and deported to Medellín, Colombia.[1] Before her death in 2012, the last sighting of Blanco was in May 2007 at the Bogotá Airport.[1]

Murder

On the night of September 3, 2012, Blanco died after being shot twice; once in the head and once in the shoulder by a motorcyclist in Medellín, Colombia.[15] She was shot at Cardiso butcher shop on the corner of 29th Street, after having bought $150 worth of meat; the middle-aged gunman climbed off the back of a motorbike outside the shop, entered, pulled out a gun, and shot Blanco two times before calmly walking back to his bike and disappearing into the city.[16] She was 69.[5]

Personal life

Blanco's first husband was Carlos Trujillo. Together they had three sons, Dixon, Uber, and Osvaldo,[1] all of them poorly educated,[14] and all of whom were killed in Colombia after being deported following prison sentences in the United States.[17]

Her second husband was Alberto Bravo. In 1975, Blanco confronted Bravo, who was also her business partner, in a Bogotá nightclub parking lot about millions of dollars missing from the profits of the cartel they had built together. The Guardian reports: "Blanco, then 32, pulled out a pistol, Bravo responded by producing an Uzi submachine gun and after a blazing gun battle he and six bodyguards lay dead. Blanco, who suffered only a minor gunshot wound to the stomach, recovered and soon afterwards moved to Miami, where her body count – and reputation for ruthlessness – continued to climb."[5]

Blanco had her youngest son, Michael Corleone Blanco, with her third husband, Darío Sepúlveda.[5] Sepúlveda left her in 1983, returned to Colombia, and kidnapped Michael when he and Blanco disagreed over who would take custody. Blanco paid to have Sepúlveda assassinated in Colombia, and her son returned to her in Miami.[17]

According to the Miami New Times, "Michael's father and older siblings were all killed before he reached adulthood. His mom was in prison for most of his childhood and teenage years, and he was raised by his maternal grandmother and legal guardians."[17] In 2012, Michael was put under house arrest after a May arrest on two felony counts of cocaine trafficking and conspiracy to traffic in cocaine.[18] He appeared on a 2018 episode of the Investigation Discovery documentary series, Evil Lives Here, to recount his lonely childhood. In 2019, he was featured in the VH1 docuseries Cartel Crew, which follows the descendants of drug lords. He also runs a clothing brand, "Puro Blanco," that refers to his infamous mother.[19]

Blanco was openly bisexual.[20][21][22] According to The New York Post, "Court records show Blanco was a drug addict who consumed vast quantities of 'basuco', a potent form of smokeable, unrefined cocaine ... would force men and women to have sex at gunpoint, and had frequent bisexual orgies." Her "favorite possessions included an emerald and gold MAC-10 machine pistol, Eva Perón's pearls and a tea set once used by the Queen of England [sic]". The report continues: "In court, it was revealed that Blanco killed three former husbands as well as strippers, business rivals – and innocent bystanders, including a 4-year-old boy."[14][5]

According to her youngest son Michael, Blanco became a born-again Christian.[23]

Films

Blanco features prominently in the documentary films Cocaine Cowboys (2006) and Cocaine Cowboys 2 (2008; also written as Cocaine Cowboys II: Hustlin' With the Godmother).

An, as of yet, to be filmed project titled The Godmother is currently in production, starring Jennifer Lopez as Blanco, which she also plans to produce.[24][25]

Catherine Zeta-Jones portrayed Blanco in Cocaine Godmother, a television biopic, which premiered in 2018 on Lifetime.[26][27]

Music

Buffalo, New York artists Westside Gunn and Conway The Machine use Blanco's name in their label, Griselda by Fashion Rebels, abbreviated as GxFR.[28]

Rapper The Game references Griselda Blanco in his lyrics to "See No Evil" – "...karma catches up to all you head honchos/ Two dome shots to head, Griselda Blanco".

Rapper Pusha T references her in his lyrics to "Pain" (2013) – "Put your freedom over failure/Tryna find my Griselda (La Madrina!)/Might as well, they gon' nail ya/Momma screaming like Mahalia".

Rapper Jacki-O released a mixtape entitled Griselda Blanco, La Madrina (2010) as an ode to Blanco's lifestyle and character. Griselda Blanco's son, Michael Blanco, later gave his blessing to promote the mixtape.[29]

Rapper Lil Kim created alter ego "Kimmy Blanco" as tribute to Blanco; Kim debuted this persona in her 2013 single of the same name.[30]

Rapper Rick Ross referenced Blanco on the 2013 Meek Mill song "Believe It", rapping "I'm screaming RIP, Griselda Blanco".

Rapper Soolking released in July 2017 a song intitled "blanco griselda".[31]

Toronto Eastside rap duo Pengz and Two Two released the single "Griselda Blanco" in August 2017.[32]

Rap group Migos have made references to her in multiple songs, "Portland" by Drake, and their own song "F*** Up the Pot".

Rapper YoungBoy Never Broke Again references her in "Slime Belief" (2018) - "Can you make it better/ trap out like Griselda/ post up with barettes/ hustlin through the night". He also references her in song “Rich As Hell” (2019) - “B****, I trap out like Griselda, hollows, I mail em’”.

French rappers Booba and Maes released a collab hit single intitled "La Madrina" (certified diamond) in which she can be seen on the cover the song.

Rapper Slimesito has a song named "Griselda" which contains multiple references to Blanco.

Rapper Nicki Minaj references Blanco in her freestyle of DaBaby's "Suge" (2019)- "Drug lord, Griselda/ I used to move weight through Delta". She is also referenced on Minaj's verse on Chance the Rapper's song, "Slide Around" (2019): "Me and my man Griselda and Pablo".

Yeasayer's song "Grizelda" is inspired by Blanco, sung from the perspective of one of her hitmen.

Reggeaton artist Justin Quiles's line in the "Bellaquita (Remix)" references Blanco: "Y yo le puse Griselda Blanco/ Porque chinga como la patrona (Patrona), sí (Ey)".

Literature

Blanco played a minor role in Marlon James' book A Brief History of Seven Killings (2014).[33]

Blanco played a significant role in Jon Roberts' book American Desperado (2011).[34]

Television

In Comedy Central's Drunk History, season 3, episode 2 ("Miami"), Dan Harmon tells the story of the rise and fall of Blanco, starring Maya Rudolph (as Blanco), Horatio Sanz, and Joe Lo Truglio.[35]

Blanco is portrayed by Mexican actress Ana Serradilla in the Spanish-language telenovela La Viuda Negra (2014), an adaptation of the book La patrona de Pablo Escobar de José Guarnizo.

Jada Pinkett Smith used her as a model for her character Fish Mooney on Gotham.

Blanco was also featured among the Deadly Women top 10 as #3 on the killer countdown.

The television series Get Shorty features a character named Amara de Escalones (played by Lidia Porto), who is based on Blanco.

Blanco was also featured on the Investigation Discovery series Evil Lives Here in an episode called "The Last Blanco".

A very fictionalized version of Blanco known as La Madrina appears in the Archer episode "Smuggler's Blues" (Season 5, Episode 7).

In the Netflix series Daybreak the career of Griselda Blanco serves as a role model for the child prodigy Angelica and her peddling of prescription drugs.

Podcast

Griselda Blanco's life, from her abusive childhood to her death, was covered on the June 5, 2018 episode of Behind the Bastards, a podcast hosted by Robert Evans [36] and the October 8, 2019 episode of She Sleuths, a true crime podcast hosted by Kristin Harris and Amy Springer.[37] Griselda Blanco is also featured on 3 episodes of the Female Criminals podcast hosted by Parcast ( 2018-03-17, 2018-03-18, 2020-06-14 ).[38]

See also

References
  1. Brown, Ethan (July 2008). "Searching for the Godmother of Crime". Maxim. Alpha Media Group: 94–98. ISSN 1092-9789. Archived from the original on June 14, 2010. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
  2. "Comienza extinción de dominio a bienes de Griselda Blanco en Antioquia – RCN Radio". RCN Radio (in Spanish). September 9, 2015. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
  3. "Griselda Blanco". Biography.
  4. "The life and death of 'cocaine godmother' Griselda Blanco". Miami Herald.
  5. "'Godmother of cocaine' shot dead in Colombia". the Guardian. September 4, 2012. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  6. ""Cocaine godmother" Griselda Blanco gunned down in Colombia". miamiherald.com. September 3, 2012. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  7. "Her mother's name". Semana (in Spanish).
  8. Corben, Billy (director); Cosby, Charles (himself); Blanco, Griselda (herself) (July 29, 2008). Cocaine Cowboys 2: Hustlin' with the Godmother (DVD). Magnolia Home Entertainment. ASIN B00180R03Q. UPC 876964001366. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
  9. Cosby, Charles. "Charles Cosby: From Early Childhood to Cocaine and Hustlin'". The Blog Union.
  10. Gugliotta, Guy; Leen, Jeff (July 16, 2011). Kings of Cocaine: Inside the Medellín Cartel – An Astonishing True Story of Murder, Money and International Corruption. Garrett County Press. Retrieved June 19, 2016 – via Google Books.
  11. "Griselda Blanco: hasta nunca y gracias por la coca". VICE – España. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
  12. Corben, Billy (director); Roberts, Jon (actor); Sunshine, Al (actor); Burstyn, Sam (actor); Munday, Mickey (actor); Palumbo, Bob (actor) (January 23, 2007). Cocaine Cowboys (DVD). Magnolia Home Entertainment. ASIN B000KLQUUS. UPC 876964000635. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
  13. United States v. Griselda Blanco, 861 F.2d 773 (2d Cir. 1988)
  14. Lathem, Niles (June 8, 2000). "QUEENS NOW RULE WHERE KINGPINS ONCE REIGNED: WOMEN ARE RUNNING DRUG RINGS AFTER FALL OF COLOMBIAN sex CARTELS". New York Post.
  15. Luscombe, Richard (September 4, 2012). "'Godmother of cocaine' shot dead in Colombia". The Guardian. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  16. Robles, Frances & Bargent, James (September 5, 2012). "The life and death of 'cocaine godmother' Griselda Blanco". Miami Herald.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  17. Alvarado, Francisco (October 13, 2011). "Michael Corleone Blanco lives in the shadow of his cocaine-queen mother". Miami New Times. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
  18. Alvarado, Francisco (September 5, 2012). "Griselda Blanco's Son Michael Corleone Still Faces Cocaine Trafficking Charge in Miami". Miami New Times. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
  19. Pablo Escobar and Colombian Narcoculture by Aldona Bialowas Pobutsky, 163-164
  20. Swartz, James A. Substance Abuse in America: A Documentary and Reference Guide. p. 193.
  21. Hornberger, Francine. Mistresses of mayhem: the book of women criminals. p. 32.
  22. Morton, James. The Mammoth Book of Gangs.
  23. "'Cocaine Cowboys' Griselda Blanco, Real-Life 'Female Tony Montana', Gunned Down in Colombia". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
  24. Wagmeister, Elizabeth (August 10, 2016). "Jennifer Lopez to Star as Drug Lord Griselda Blanco in HBO Film". Variety. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
  25. McNary, Dave (April 17, 2020). "Reed Morano in Talks to Direct Jennifer Lopez Drug Lord Drama 'The Godmother'". Variety. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  26. Evans, Greg (May 18, 2017). "Lifetime Greenlights 'Cocaine Godmother' Starring Catherine Zeta-Jones". Deadline.com. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
  27. Brown, Scott (June 6, 2017). "Hollywood North: Catherine Zeta-Jones filming 'Cocaine Godmother' in Vancouver". The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
  28. "HOME". griseldaxfr.com. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
  29. "Jacki-O Declares Everything Is Cool With Her And "The Godmother" Griselda Blanco". Hip-Hop Wired.
  30. Fitzgerald, Trent. "Lil' Kim Premieres New Single, 'Hardcore 2K13′ Tracklist". The BoomBox. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  31. "Blanco Griselda".
  32. Triple M (August 17, 2017), Pengz x TwoTwo – Griselda Blanco (Official Video) (Prod. By JP Soundz), retrieved September 13, 2017
  33. James, Marlon (November 1, 2014). A Brief History of Seven Killings. Oneworld Publisher. ISBN 978-1594486005.
  34. Roberts, Jon & Wright, Evan (November 1, 2011). American Desperado. Crown Publishing Group. ISBN 0-307-45042-2.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  35. "The Godmother of Cocaine". Comedy Central. September 8, 2015. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
  36. "The Cocaine Queen of Miami". Behind the Bastards. June 5, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  37. "Episode 6: WTF Florida – She Sleuths". Retrieved October 8, 2019.
  38. "Criminals".

Sources
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