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[CRIME] · United States, Mexico · 64 sources

Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada sentenced to life in prison and $15 billion forfeiture

On 20 July 2026 a federal court in Brooklyn sentenced 76‑year‑old Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, co‑founder of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, to life imprisonment without parole. Judge Brian Cogan imposed the mandatory sentence after Zambada’s guilty plea in August 2025, which averted a death‑penalty request. The judgment also ordered the forfeiture of approximately $15 billion in illicit proceeds attributed to the cartel’s decades‑long trafficking of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl and other drugs into the United States.

Zambada expressed remorse in court, urging younger generations to avoid the drug trade. U.S. prosecutors highlighted his role in ordering murders and bribing officials to protect cartel operations. The U.S. Department of Justice and the DEA emphasized that the sentence is only the beginning of continued actions against drug cartels and any corrupt officials who aid them, underscoring ongoing U.S.–Mexico law‑enforcement cooperation.

The ruling marks the most significant U.S. drug‑trafficking conviction since the 2019 life sentence of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán and is expected to intensify pressure on the Sinaloa cartel’s remaining factions.

Sources

about 7 hours ago
Ahora van por el dinero de El Mayo [massinformacion.com.mx]
about 12 hours ago
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