Fabio Ochoa Restrepo (1923 – February 18, 2002), also known as Don Fabio, was the patriarch of a major Colombian drug trafficking family. A renowned horse breeder and Paso Fino enthusiast, he died of kidney failure in 2002.

Biography

Career

Ochoa kept many ranches near Medellin, raised more than a thousand Paso Fino Horses and was a successful businessman. Because most of his wealth did not come from criminal activities, it is generally assumed that Ochoa himself was not linked to drug trafficking, although his sons are well known for their involvement in the trade. In ''A True Story: Trafficking'' by Berkley Rice, he writes that Fabio, "smuggled television sets and

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before getting started in cocaine. He collected Picasso paintings and artifacts of Spanish culture.

Jorge Luis Ochoa Jorge Luis Ochoa Vásquez (born 30 September 1950) is a Colombian former drug trafficker who was one of the founding members of the notorious Medellín Cartel in the late 1970s. The cartel's key members were Pablo Escobar, Carlos Lehder, José ...

, was at one time considered the number two leader in the Medellin cartel: In 1996 he was arrested and given a five-year prison sentence in Colombia. Fabio Ochoa Vázquez "Fabito" (b. 1957) was extradited to the United States in September 2001. "In his autobiography, ''My life in the world of Horses'', published by a

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Mr Ochoa writes that 'Don Fabio is to Colombia's Horse world what Garcia Marquez is to Colombia's world of letters or what

Fernando Botero Fernando Botero Angulo (born 19 April 1932) is a Colombian figurative artist and sculptor, born in Medellín. His signature style, also known as "Boterismo", depicts people and figures in large, exaggerated volume, which can represent political ...

is to Colombia's world of painting." A 1989 picture of Fabio Ochoa Restrepo shows him signing his book which he planned to send to the Pope.Page 164, of The War on Drugs: An International Encyclopedia By Ron Chepesiuk, Published by ABC-CLIO, 1999,,

Death and legacy

Ochoa died in 2002 in Colombia. He was the subject of a brief segment in ''

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''. He was portrayed in the 2006 documentary film ''

Cocaine cowboys ''Cocaine Cowboys'' is a 2006 documentary film directed by Billy Corben, and produced by Alfred Spellman and Billy Corben through their Miami-based media studio Rakontur. The film explores the rise of cocaine dealer Jon Roberts, described by pros ...

'', where the former Medellín Cartel associate

Jon Roberts Jon Pernell Roberts (June 21, 1948 – December 28, 2011), born John Riccobono, was a noted drug trafficker and government informant, operated in the Miami area and was an associate of Colombia's Medellín Cartel during the growth phase in coca ...

said of him: "As many people want to believe that Pablo Escobar was the king of cocaine, they can believe that, but the man that was really the king was Ochoa & not Fabito the poor man it was the old man that never did a day in jail that really controlled Escobar ".

Popular culture

* In TV series '' Pablo Escobar, The Drug Lord'' is portrayed by Carlos Benjumea as the character of Julio Motoa Sr. * In TV Series ''Alias El Mexicano'' is portrayed by the Colombian actor Gerardo Calero.

References

Bibliography

* 1923 births 2002 deaths Colombian criminals Colombian prisoners and detainees Prisoners and detainees of Colombia People extradited from Colombia to the United States Colombian people imprisoned abroad {{Colombia-bio-stub