1
00:00:08,550 --> 00:00:10,260
[narrator] By revealing this playbook,
2
00:00:10,343 --> 00:00:13,471
I've shown you how to reach
the top of the food chain,
3
00:00:14,597 --> 00:00:16,725
create a bulletproof business plan,
4
00:00:17,809 --> 00:00:19,102
terrorize your enemies,
5
00:00:19,978 --> 00:00:23,064
and stay one step ahead
of the authorities.
6
00:00:24,065 --> 00:00:26,735
I've even shown you what not to do.
7
00:00:28,069 --> 00:00:32,282
For your final lesson,
it's time to scale up your ambitions
8
00:00:32,365 --> 00:00:36,244
and find out just how powerful
a mob boss can become.
9
00:00:36,786 --> 00:00:39,039
[woman] The best mob bosses
spread their tentacles
10
00:00:39,122 --> 00:00:41,458
into every aspect of society
11
00:00:41,541 --> 00:00:45,503
so that they can eliminate
any obstacles to their criminal activity.
12
00:00:46,671 --> 00:00:49,841
[narrator] No criminal pioneer
rode his influence to greater heights,
13
00:00:49,924 --> 00:00:54,387
or with as much deadly precision,
as the cocaine king of Colombia,
14
00:00:54,471 --> 00:00:56,473
{\an8}Pablo Escobar,
15
00:00:56,973 --> 00:00:59,350
who mastered every page of the playbook
16
00:00:59,434 --> 00:01:02,562
and even added
some final chapters of his own.
17
00:01:05,273 --> 00:01:08,818
{\an8}He had political power,
he was a hero within his community...
18
00:01:08,902 --> 00:01:10,737
[in Spanish] A very special greeting...
19
00:01:10,820 --> 00:01:13,198
[Michael]...he was ruthless
with his enemies,
20
00:01:13,281 --> 00:01:16,451
very Machiavellian,
and he was a good business guy.
21
00:01:16,534 --> 00:01:18,870
You don't make 30 billion by accident.
22
00:01:19,704 --> 00:01:21,372
[crowd cheering]
23
00:01:21,456 --> 00:01:22,957
[narrator] Follow Escobar's lead,
24
00:01:23,041 --> 00:01:25,543
and you too can become
the best in your class
25
00:01:26,252 --> 00:01:31,257
by learning how to win friends
and influence everything.
26
00:01:36,888 --> 00:01:38,890
[theme music playing]
27
00:01:41,976 --> 00:01:45,730
[narrator] Pablo Escobar rose
from the streets of Medellín, Colombia
28
00:01:45,814 --> 00:01:49,150
to become the head
of the largest drug syndicate in history,
29
00:01:49,776 --> 00:01:52,195
with an entire nation under his thumb.
30
00:01:52,987 --> 00:01:55,573
{\an8}He was a mob boss. He was a terrorist.
31
00:01:56,449 --> 00:02:01,704
He was a criminal mastermind,
and he was really a global entrepreneur.
32
00:02:02,539 --> 00:02:06,126
[narrator] But before we outline
how Pablo made such a killing,
33
00:02:08,086 --> 00:02:10,588
here's a few key details
about his first steps
34
00:02:10,672 --> 00:02:13,299
on his path from pawn to kingpin.
35
00:02:13,383 --> 00:02:14,467
[spectators cheering]
36
00:02:14,551 --> 00:02:19,055
[announcer in Spanish]
Long live Pablo Escobar Gaviria!
37
00:02:23,685 --> 00:02:28,648
Escobar wanted to make
a million Colombian pesos
38
00:02:28,731 --> 00:02:30,650
by the time he was 30.
39
00:02:31,151 --> 00:02:33,236
{\an8}[in Spanish] His mother
was a school teacher.
40
00:02:33,319 --> 00:02:37,198
His father was a farmer
who worked on a farm.
41
00:02:37,282 --> 00:02:38,992
They had no economic resources.
42
00:02:39,784 --> 00:02:42,036
[narrator in English]
By the time Pablo was a teen,
43
00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:45,039
he was already showing
his entrepreneurial flair.
44
00:02:45,540 --> 00:02:48,042
Escobar became a player
45
00:02:48,126 --> 00:02:51,963
in a pretty big
cigarette smuggling operation.
46
00:02:52,589 --> 00:02:56,050
Basically expanding it
and making more money for his boss.
47
00:02:56,134 --> 00:03:02,307
This sets him up to later be able to build
his own empire as a drug trafficker.
48
00:03:06,352 --> 00:03:10,481
{\an8}Pablo Escobar saw the other traffickers
making money off cocaine.
49
00:03:11,774 --> 00:03:15,862
{\an8}The profit margins were so much higher
with cocaine than they were marijuana.
50
00:03:15,945 --> 00:03:18,305
Basically, to get that kilo
of cocaine to the United States,
51
00:03:18,364 --> 00:03:20,491
we're talking $5,000 per kilo.
52
00:03:20,992 --> 00:03:25,663
{\an8}If your return on that pure kilo
of cocaine is $80,000...
53
00:03:26,164 --> 00:03:29,083
I'm not an Economics major,
but even I can realize that
54
00:03:29,167 --> 00:03:31,711
that's a fantastic return
on your investment.
55
00:03:34,422 --> 00:03:39,844
[Asha] In 1975, Pablo Escobar
was a low-level drug trafficker
56
00:03:39,928 --> 00:03:41,888
that nobody had ever heard of.
57
00:03:41,971 --> 00:03:45,516
[Steve] An opportunity comes along
where an individual named Restrepo
58
00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:48,811
needed someone to help him
complete a drug deal in Medellín.
59
00:03:48,895 --> 00:03:51,606
So Pablo helps with the drug deal.
60
00:03:51,689 --> 00:03:54,984
[Asha] Two months later,
Fabio Restrepo was murdered.
61
00:03:55,068 --> 00:03:58,821
Reportedly, Escobar
ordered the assassination.
62
00:03:58,905 --> 00:04:02,200
And then Escobar
takes over his organization
63
00:04:02,283 --> 00:04:05,536
and basically tells his entire operation
that they're working for him.
64
00:04:07,288 --> 00:04:08,831
That's a boss move.
65
00:04:10,541 --> 00:04:12,543
[narrator] But Pablo Escobar's ambitions
66
00:04:12,627 --> 00:04:15,838
went beyond running
a local drug trafficking operation.
67
00:04:16,339 --> 00:04:18,174
He wanted to change the game.
68
00:04:18,758 --> 00:04:21,052
Pablo Escobar wanted to rule Colombia.
69
00:04:21,135 --> 00:04:22,303
[narrator] To do that,
70
00:04:22,387 --> 00:04:25,515
he'd need to radically expand
his sphere of influence,
71
00:04:25,598 --> 00:04:29,769
starting with any criminal leader's
most consistent adversary.
72
00:04:29,852 --> 00:04:30,852
POLICE
73
00:04:35,275 --> 00:04:37,402
For an ambitious mob boss on the rise,
74
00:04:37,485 --> 00:04:41,155
local police can be
a real thorn in your side.
75
00:04:41,239 --> 00:04:45,368
But we all know even the straightest cops
can be tempted by the right offer.
76
00:04:45,868 --> 00:04:49,914
{\an8}Having corrupt cops on your payroll
is an excellent thing for a mob boss.
77
00:04:49,998 --> 00:04:52,208
It gives you more control
in the neighborhoods
78
00:04:52,292 --> 00:04:53,876
and over your business.
79
00:04:54,377 --> 00:04:57,755
So, when you have cops
in your pocket and you're paying them,
80
00:04:57,839 --> 00:04:59,465
there's nothing better than that.
81
00:05:02,885 --> 00:05:05,263
[narrator] As Medellín's
top cocaine dealer,
82
00:05:05,346 --> 00:05:08,349
Pablo knew the value
of getting the law on his side.
83
00:05:09,434 --> 00:05:13,271
Especially since he was eyeing
a risky move to increase his power.
84
00:05:13,855 --> 00:05:16,858
As Pablo became more involved
in the cocaine business,
85
00:05:16,941 --> 00:05:19,110
he realized the additional profits
he could make
86
00:05:19,193 --> 00:05:21,487
by manufacturing his own cocaine.
87
00:05:21,571 --> 00:05:26,367
He said, "Let's invest money
in making these cocaine laboratories."
88
00:05:28,286 --> 00:05:32,290
[narrator] But Pablo faced a problem
when it came to transporting his product.
89
00:05:33,124 --> 00:05:35,585
In the mid-'70s,
the Colombian national police
90
00:05:35,668 --> 00:05:39,339
had the responsibility
of going after the drug traffickers.
91
00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:41,632
The Colombian police set up roadblocks
92
00:05:41,716 --> 00:05:44,344
on main routes
being traveled throughout Colombia.
93
00:05:45,011 --> 00:05:48,890
If you don't have an attitude
that makes you persuasive,
94
00:05:48,973 --> 00:05:50,600
maybe with cash in your hand,
95
00:05:50,683 --> 00:05:53,728
you're probably gonna be arrested
at those roadblocks for smuggling.
96
00:05:55,104 --> 00:05:59,442
[narrator] Pablo had the right attitude
and more importantly, cash to spare.
97
00:06:00,443 --> 00:06:02,445
But in 1970s Colombia,
98
00:06:02,528 --> 00:06:06,324
not all law enforcement organizations
played by the same rules.
99
00:06:08,826 --> 00:06:12,038
One night, Escobar and his men
are heading back to Medellín
100
00:06:12,121 --> 00:06:13,831
from a supply run to Ecuador
101
00:06:15,375 --> 00:06:17,877
when they run into an unexpected delay.
102
00:06:19,545 --> 00:06:21,464
Pablo knows the drill,
103
00:06:22,924 --> 00:06:25,385
but he's not dealing
with the regular cops.
104
00:06:26,094 --> 00:06:29,555
It's the Colombian
secret police known as DAS.
105
00:06:30,056 --> 00:06:32,392
[Javier] There was an agency
in Colombia called DAS.
106
00:06:32,475 --> 00:06:35,478
Departamento Administrativo de Seguridad.
107
00:06:35,561 --> 00:06:37,522
DAS was like the FBI.
108
00:06:37,605 --> 00:06:41,109
They did a lot of intelligence work.
109
00:06:41,984 --> 00:06:44,195
[narrator] The agents knew
Pablo was coming
110
00:06:44,779 --> 00:06:47,824
and quickly discovered
39 kilos of raw coca paste
111
00:06:47,907 --> 00:06:49,742
inside the truck's spare tire.
112
00:06:52,078 --> 00:06:54,038
They've got him dead to rights.
113
00:06:55,998 --> 00:06:57,959
Pablo offers his usual bribe,
114
00:06:58,543 --> 00:07:01,254
but the DAS agents
aren't so easily bought off.
115
00:07:02,630 --> 00:07:04,424
They arrest Pablo for trafficking.
116
00:07:05,550 --> 00:07:09,303
Fortunately, Escobar
still has options to regain his freedom.
117
00:07:11,764 --> 00:07:16,060
He arranges for a gift to be sent
to the judge overseeing his case.
118
00:07:17,228 --> 00:07:19,439
The judge appreciates the gesture...
119
00:07:21,315 --> 00:07:22,315
and shows it.
120
00:07:24,902 --> 00:07:29,407
As for those stubborn DAS agents
who refused to bow to Pablo's influence...
121
00:07:31,367 --> 00:07:32,577
[grunting]
122
00:07:33,786 --> 00:07:35,764
[narrator] ...they become an example
of what happens
123
00:07:35,788 --> 00:07:38,875
when you don't accept
Pablo Escobar's generosity.
124
00:07:41,669 --> 00:07:46,924
From then on, all officers who cross
Pablo's path will have a simple choice.
125
00:07:48,384 --> 00:07:49,719
[narrator in Spanish] Plata...
126
00:07:50,219 --> 00:07:51,471
[gun cocks] ...o plomo.
127
00:07:55,099 --> 00:07:58,394
[Asha] Plata o plomo,
it means silver or lead.
128
00:07:58,478 --> 00:08:01,647
You can either take money,
or you can take a bullet.
129
00:08:01,731 --> 00:08:04,734
It was an offer that no one could refuse.
130
00:08:05,318 --> 00:08:07,612
[narrator] Leaning on law enforcement
is a start,
131
00:08:07,695 --> 00:08:09,822
but the next phase
of your influence campaign
132
00:08:09,906 --> 00:08:12,825
means getting another
troublesome group onto your side,
133
00:08:13,409 --> 00:08:14,660
the competition.
134
00:08:14,744 --> 00:08:15,870
[bell dings]
135
00:08:15,953 --> 00:08:18,706
How do you turn
potential enemies into allies?
136
00:08:23,377 --> 00:08:26,464
They say if you want to go fast, go alone.
137
00:08:27,465 --> 00:08:30,885
But if you want to go far, go as a team.
138
00:08:31,719 --> 00:08:34,514
Because together everyone achieves more.
139
00:08:35,389 --> 00:08:41,938
Mob bosses have to have
strategic alliances with other mob bosses
140
00:08:42,021 --> 00:08:46,484
'cause they're all working
for that same successful outcome, right?
141
00:08:46,567 --> 00:08:47,567
To make money.
142
00:08:48,402 --> 00:08:51,072
{\an8}There's plenty of money
out there to be made,
143
00:08:51,155 --> 00:08:55,910
but if I claim this, and he claims this,
and we start shooting at each other,
144
00:08:56,410 --> 00:08:57,537
nobody gets anything.
145
00:08:58,037 --> 00:08:59,622
You just have a lot of dead people.
146
00:09:01,916 --> 00:09:04,710
[narrator] That's how
these criminal supergroups were born.
147
00:09:05,378 --> 00:09:09,924
Sicilian mob boss Gaetano Badalamenti
partnered with the American Mafia
148
00:09:10,007 --> 00:09:11,634
to traffic heroin stateside.
149
00:09:12,385 --> 00:09:15,805
The operation was nicknamed
The Pizza Connection,
150
00:09:15,888 --> 00:09:18,849
because the drugs were moved
through New York pizza parlors.
151
00:09:19,517 --> 00:09:22,812
The human trafficking
ringleader known as Sister Ping,
152
00:09:22,895 --> 00:09:27,483
who grew a $40 million empire
smuggling Chinese migrants into the US,
153
00:09:27,567 --> 00:09:29,986
paid her former rivals,
the Fuk Ching gang,
154
00:09:30,069 --> 00:09:33,406
close to a million dollars
to assist with her operation
155
00:09:33,489 --> 00:09:36,117
and terrorized those who refused to pay.
156
00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:42,415
While Lucky Luciano,
Bugsy Siegel, and Meyer Lansky
157
00:09:42,498 --> 00:09:45,751
merged their Italian
and Jewish gangs during Prohibition
158
00:09:46,544 --> 00:09:49,213
to form what they called The Syndicate.
159
00:09:49,297 --> 00:09:52,049
The first American multi-ethnic mob.
160
00:09:52,550 --> 00:09:54,719
Now that's progressive thinking.
161
00:09:59,724 --> 00:10:01,559
As Pablo's ambitions grew,
162
00:10:01,642 --> 00:10:05,521
he had reasons to explore
constructive collaboration.
163
00:10:05,605 --> 00:10:07,940
[Asha] The cocaine trade
was a competitive market
164
00:10:08,024 --> 00:10:09,567
in Colombia when it started.
165
00:10:10,860 --> 00:10:16,699
{\an8}You had a number of different players
competing for the market share.
166
00:10:16,782 --> 00:10:19,182
{\an8}[Steve] All these drug traffickers
are doing their own thing,
167
00:10:19,243 --> 00:10:22,747
that they're having to create
their own sources to secure the chemicals,
168
00:10:22,830 --> 00:10:25,458
which is a challenge because
where do you get your chemicals from?
169
00:10:25,541 --> 00:10:27,752
There's only so many
chemical companies in the world.
170
00:10:28,961 --> 00:10:31,881
[narrator] Were they still making money?
Oh yes.
171
00:10:32,715 --> 00:10:35,885
But Pablo and his fellow narcos
were about to face a crisis
172
00:10:35,968 --> 00:10:37,678
that would change everything.
173
00:10:41,390 --> 00:10:45,811
Throughout Colombia, insurgent groups
begin kidnapping wealthy citizens
174
00:10:45,895 --> 00:10:47,813
and holding them for ransom.
175
00:10:47,897 --> 00:10:50,191
It's a most profitable racket,
176
00:10:50,691 --> 00:10:53,569
and for those who don't pay, a deadly one.
177
00:10:54,987 --> 00:10:59,533
Before long, they start coming
for the drug tycoons and their families.
178
00:11:00,993 --> 00:11:05,289
Marta Ochoa, younger sister
of top traffickers, the Ochoa brothers,
179
00:11:05,373 --> 00:11:07,458
is abducted off her college campus
180
00:11:07,541 --> 00:11:10,795
by members of the Marxist
guerrilla faction M-19.
181
00:11:12,380 --> 00:11:14,799
They demand millions for her safe return.
182
00:11:15,675 --> 00:11:20,179
In response, Pablo and the Ochoas
decide to convene a summit
183
00:11:20,262 --> 00:11:22,264
of Colombia's top traffickers.
184
00:11:22,348 --> 00:11:23,849
[indistinct chatter]
185
00:11:23,933 --> 00:11:29,313
As the drug lords gather, Pablo insists
that no more ransoms be paid.
186
00:11:30,231 --> 00:11:34,026
Instead, they should join forces
to fund their own private army
187
00:11:34,694 --> 00:11:35,986
with a catchy title.
188
00:11:37,738 --> 00:11:40,783
{\an8}M.A.S. Muerte a Los Secuestradores.
189
00:11:40,866 --> 00:11:46,038
{\an8}In other words, death to the people
who are kidnapping for ransom.
190
00:11:48,207 --> 00:11:53,921
[narrator] The price to join?
A mere two million pesos, around $33,000.
191
00:11:54,004 --> 00:11:55,423
And ten hitmen each.
192
00:11:56,757 --> 00:12:00,010
Within days of forming,
M.A.S. starts hunting.
193
00:12:01,470 --> 00:12:02,555
[gunshot]
194
00:12:06,016 --> 00:12:08,978
They slaughter
more than 100 suspected kidnappers
195
00:12:09,061 --> 00:12:10,229
across the country...
196
00:12:12,815 --> 00:12:16,861
until Marta Ochoa's abductors
finally get the message.
197
00:12:22,867 --> 00:12:26,704
What began as a tactical partnership
would soon deepen
198
00:12:27,246 --> 00:12:32,042
as these unlikely collaborators
decide to create a more lasting alliance,
199
00:12:32,585 --> 00:12:37,381
which the world will come to know
as the Medellín drug cartel.
200
00:12:37,465 --> 00:12:39,175
[people clapping]
201
00:12:42,052 --> 00:12:45,014
[Steve] So they all brought in
different things to the table
202
00:12:45,097 --> 00:12:46,640
to share amongst each other.
203
00:12:46,724 --> 00:12:49,393
That's when their profits
really started to grow.
204
00:12:49,477 --> 00:12:53,355
They became much, much more powerful
as a group than they were individually.
205
00:12:54,273 --> 00:12:58,235
By the late '80s, early '90s,
the Medellín cartel was responsible
206
00:12:58,319 --> 00:13:02,448
for 80% of the cocaine
that was reaching the world.
207
00:13:03,866 --> 00:13:06,744
They are monopolizing
the cocaine business.
208
00:13:06,827 --> 00:13:09,747
In other words, they're the ones
who are setting the price.
209
00:13:09,830 --> 00:13:14,418
But the person who's always above
all these people? Pablo Escobar.
210
00:13:15,169 --> 00:13:18,923
[narrator] And to the visionary
go the greatest rewards.
211
00:13:19,507 --> 00:13:23,677
By the mid-1980s, Pablo Escobar
was making a million dollars a day.
212
00:13:24,470 --> 00:13:27,097
[narrator] But when you're running
an illegal empire,
213
00:13:27,181 --> 00:13:31,560
your growing bankroll is going
to draw ever more unwanted attention.
214
00:13:32,311 --> 00:13:36,232
Our trusty playbook will show you
how to keep the wolves at bay
215
00:13:36,315 --> 00:13:39,318
and expand your influence even further.
216
00:13:46,367 --> 00:13:47,367
Love.
217
00:13:47,910 --> 00:13:51,747
We all want that warm feeling
of being safe and protected.
218
00:13:52,248 --> 00:13:54,917
That even goes for powerful mob bosses.
219
00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:56,877
[Steve] High-level criminals understand
220
00:13:56,961 --> 00:13:59,088
the benefit of having
public opinion behind them.
221
00:13:59,171 --> 00:14:01,882
If you can get
that community support behind you,
222
00:14:01,966 --> 00:14:06,387
people tend to maybe not look at the fact
that you're doing things that are illegal.
223
00:14:07,346 --> 00:14:10,724
[man] The more public support
that a boss is able to garner,
224
00:14:10,808 --> 00:14:13,310
the more he'll be able
to ultimately insulate himself.
225
00:14:13,894 --> 00:14:16,605
[narrator] The first step in getting
the masses on your team?
226
00:14:17,106 --> 00:14:19,108
Show your charitable side.
227
00:14:19,608 --> 00:14:20,734
Like these guys.
228
00:14:22,611 --> 00:14:26,448
New York City Mafia boss
Carlo Gambino's sons, Thomas and Joseph,
229
00:14:26,532 --> 00:14:28,075
who reportedly made 70 million
230
00:14:28,158 --> 00:14:30,327
from a trucking scam
in the Garment District,
231
00:14:30,411 --> 00:14:34,748
{\an8}gave over a million dollars
to help fund a children's cancer center,
232
00:14:34,832 --> 00:14:37,835
which still bears
the family's name on one of its units.
233
00:14:38,752 --> 00:14:42,798
After a devastating tsunami
struck Japan in 2011,
234
00:14:42,882 --> 00:14:47,094
the yakuza,
under supreme kingpin Kenichi Shinoda,,
235
00:14:47,177 --> 00:14:51,348
were among the first on the ground
delivering aid to devastated areas.
236
00:14:53,142 --> 00:14:57,187
And the Colombo crime family's
notorious underboss William Cutolo
237
00:14:57,271 --> 00:15:01,859
was a major benefactor of the National
Leukemia Research Association.
238
00:15:03,152 --> 00:15:06,947
He even dressed up as Santa Claus
for its annual Christmas party.
239
00:15:09,992 --> 00:15:11,994
Pablo Escobar's charm offensive
240
00:15:12,077 --> 00:15:14,788
also benefited
from understanding his audience.
241
00:15:15,581 --> 00:15:17,781
[in Spanish] Pablo Escobar came
from a humble background
242
00:15:17,833 --> 00:15:20,586
and knew the needs of his people.
243
00:15:21,545 --> 00:15:24,173
[Asha] The government was
only catering to the elites, and so,
244
00:15:24,256 --> 00:15:27,426
Pablo Escobar was able to fill a gap
245
00:15:27,509 --> 00:15:30,220
that the government wasn't filling,
246
00:15:30,304 --> 00:15:36,185
providing services and things
that people needed at the ground level.
247
00:15:37,186 --> 00:15:39,939
[narrator] Pablo's generosity
takes many forms.
248
00:15:40,564 --> 00:15:43,275
His money helps build
roads and power lines,
249
00:15:44,193 --> 00:15:45,319
hospitals,
250
00:15:45,819 --> 00:15:46,820
stadiums,
251
00:15:47,571 --> 00:15:48,572
roller rinks.
252
00:15:49,990 --> 00:15:54,662
{\an8}Even a 600-unit housing complex
for Medellín's neediest citizens,
253
00:15:54,745 --> 00:15:57,790
{\an8}christened Barrio de Pablo Escobar.
254
00:15:58,999 --> 00:16:02,086
He creates a private zoo
with free admission,
255
00:16:02,169 --> 00:16:04,421
featuring 200 exotic animals,
256
00:16:05,839 --> 00:16:07,967
sponsors local soccer teams,
257
00:16:09,259 --> 00:16:13,347
and constructs playing fields
all over the city with lights.
258
00:16:13,430 --> 00:16:14,431
[crowd cheering]
259
00:16:14,515 --> 00:16:16,976
Sometimes Pablo even suits up himself.
260
00:16:19,436 --> 00:16:22,439
He hands out money
in the city's poorest neighborhoods,
261
00:16:22,523 --> 00:16:24,942
often accompanied by Catholic priests.
262
00:16:26,402 --> 00:16:28,404
He gives money to the church too.
263
00:16:30,489 --> 00:16:33,534
[Asha] Pablo's community
saw him as a Robin Hood,
264
00:16:33,617 --> 00:16:38,664
where he stole from the rich capitalists
and gave back to the poor.
265
00:16:39,665 --> 00:16:44,545
And so, he was really seen as a hero
to the people in his own neighborhood.
266
00:16:45,921 --> 00:16:48,799
{\an8}What it ultimately meant was loyalty.
267
00:16:48,882 --> 00:16:52,344
You know, people thought
Pablo Escobar was the good guy,
268
00:16:52,428 --> 00:16:54,430
and the government people
were the bad guys.
269
00:16:56,348 --> 00:17:00,561
When you have the will of the people
on your side, you're a winner.
270
00:17:01,937 --> 00:17:03,355
That's how you beat government.
271
00:17:04,481 --> 00:17:07,609
[narrator] But even when it seems
that your neighborhood is secure,
272
00:17:07,693 --> 00:17:10,904
outside threats
can be another matter entirely.
273
00:17:11,697 --> 00:17:13,490
{\an8}Drugs are menacing our society.
274
00:17:14,324 --> 00:17:17,244
They're threatening our values
and undercutting our institutions.
275
00:17:17,327 --> 00:17:19,329
They're killing our children.
276
00:17:19,413 --> 00:17:20,914
We want you to say no.
277
00:17:20,998 --> 00:17:22,958
Knock drugs out of your life
by just saying no.
278
00:17:23,042 --> 00:17:24,209
Just say no.
279
00:17:24,293 --> 00:17:26,837
[newscaster] It's estimated
that about 96 tons of cocaine
280
00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:28,964
were smuggled into the US last year.
281
00:17:29,048 --> 00:17:32,259
We are indeed trying to do
everything government can do
282
00:17:32,342 --> 00:17:34,595
to combat drug traffickers.
283
00:17:35,095 --> 00:17:38,932
The Colombian government was under
a lot of pressure from the United States
284
00:17:39,016 --> 00:17:42,478
to really crack down
on the drug traffickers.
285
00:17:43,854 --> 00:17:46,815
[narrator] And that would lead
to a most troubling decision.
286
00:17:47,399 --> 00:17:50,652
The United States and Colombia
signed this treaty that allowed
287
00:17:50,736 --> 00:17:54,740
Colombian traffickers
to be extradited to the United States.
288
00:17:56,492 --> 00:17:59,161
[narrator] Scary stuff, but not to worry.
289
00:17:59,661 --> 00:18:01,246
The playbook will show you
290
00:18:01,330 --> 00:18:04,083
how to capitalize
on your newfound popularity.
291
00:18:09,755 --> 00:18:13,258
Politics. It's slow. It's messy.
292
00:18:14,968 --> 00:18:17,638
But when you want
to influence public policy,
293
00:18:17,721 --> 00:18:19,890
you have to go right to the source.
294
00:18:20,599 --> 00:18:22,559
And if you're Pablo Escobar,
295
00:18:22,643 --> 00:18:25,312
there's now one law
that matters above all.
296
00:18:25,813 --> 00:18:29,942
[Asha] Pablo Escobar
was especially scared of extradition,
297
00:18:30,025 --> 00:18:35,322
the possibility that he could be
forcibly transferred to the United States
298
00:18:35,405 --> 00:18:40,035
where he would face
almost certain justice and jail time.
299
00:18:40,994 --> 00:18:44,581
[narrator] Pablo needed to take
that scenario off the table.
300
00:18:44,665 --> 00:18:48,877
Pablo Escobar realized
if he really wanted to change the laws,
301
00:18:48,961 --> 00:18:51,380
the best way to do it was from the inside.
302
00:18:56,135 --> 00:18:57,469
He ran as an alternate
303
00:18:57,553 --> 00:18:59,888
for a congressional position
out of his district.
304
00:18:59,972 --> 00:19:03,517
{\an8}[in Spanish] The main ideology
of our movement is public spirit,
305
00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:06,145
{\an8}nationalism, social programs.
306
00:19:06,937 --> 00:19:10,023
[narrator] And as for Pablo's
complicated backstory...
307
00:19:11,150 --> 00:19:15,279
Escobar carefully curated
his public profile.
308
00:19:15,362 --> 00:19:20,242
He hired a PR person to make him seem
309
00:19:20,325 --> 00:19:23,328
like a legitimate businessman,
310
00:19:23,412 --> 00:19:29,042
to pay off journalists,
and basically wipe his past clean.
311
00:19:29,126 --> 00:19:32,629
[Steve] He ran on the coattails
of a man named Ortega,
312
00:19:32,713 --> 00:19:34,923
who was an incumbent, and had won.
313
00:19:35,007 --> 00:19:36,133
[crowd cheering]
314
00:19:36,216 --> 00:19:38,093
[Steve] Once the election was over,
315
00:19:38,177 --> 00:19:41,638
Pablo goes strutting into Congress
just like he's a normal person.
316
00:19:43,307 --> 00:19:46,310
[narrator] Besides the power
and prestige of his office,
317
00:19:46,393 --> 00:19:50,063
Pablo's new position
came with some other handy perks.
318
00:19:50,606 --> 00:19:52,191
[Asha] As a member of Congress,
319
00:19:52,274 --> 00:19:56,445
Escobar enjoyed immunity
from criminal prosecution.
320
00:19:56,528 --> 00:19:59,823
He got a diplomatic visa
to the United States
321
00:19:59,907 --> 00:20:04,953
and was in a position
to impact Colombia's extradition treaty,
322
00:20:05,037 --> 00:20:06,455
which he wanted to get rid of.
323
00:20:07,414 --> 00:20:09,833
[narrator] However,
Pablo's grand ambitions
324
00:20:09,917 --> 00:20:13,045
{\an8}brought him face-to-face
with a formidable opponent.
325
00:20:14,504 --> 00:20:19,551
{\an8}Rodrigo Lara was the Minister of Justice
who had just been appointed
326
00:20:19,635 --> 00:20:22,846
when Pablo Escobar
was elected to Congress.
327
00:20:22,930 --> 00:20:24,890
He was a lifelong politician
328
00:20:24,973 --> 00:20:29,061
and a staunch adversary
to the drug traffickers.
329
00:20:30,020 --> 00:20:32,731
The minister knew who Pablo was.
330
00:20:32,814 --> 00:20:37,110
He realized that Pablo was making
a mockery of their congressional system
331
00:20:37,194 --> 00:20:38,820
by even being in the room.
332
00:20:41,406 --> 00:20:43,033
[sinister music plays]
333
00:20:44,201 --> 00:20:46,411
[narrator] On Pablo's first day
in Congress,
334
00:20:46,495 --> 00:20:48,830
it's clear he doesn't fit in.
335
00:20:52,501 --> 00:20:57,130
Rodrigo Lara is about to make things
even more uncomfortable.
336
00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:01,093
He starts the session
337
00:21:01,176 --> 00:21:03,887
and denounces
narcotrafficking's devastating effect
338
00:21:03,971 --> 00:21:05,806
on Colombian society,
339
00:21:06,556 --> 00:21:09,268
and then turns his attention to Pablo.
340
00:21:11,687 --> 00:21:15,023
Lara unmasks
the new Congressman as a drug kingpin
341
00:21:16,483 --> 00:21:19,778
and declares that Escobar
has been lying to the Congress
342
00:21:19,861 --> 00:21:21,363
and the Colombian people.
343
00:21:23,615 --> 00:21:26,368
Pablo continues to deny the allegations.
344
00:21:26,868 --> 00:21:31,081
[in Spanish] From any point of view,
we are being slandered and attacked
345
00:21:31,164 --> 00:21:33,250
for false information
346
00:21:35,168 --> 00:21:36,962
and for harmful words
347
00:21:37,045 --> 00:21:39,715
launched against us
by our political enemies.
348
00:21:40,299 --> 00:21:42,592
{\an8}[narrator] But after
a yearlong investigation,
349
00:21:42,676 --> 00:21:44,761
{\an8}Escobar is expelled from Congress.
350
00:21:45,804 --> 00:21:48,557
[Asha] Not only does Escobar lose
351
00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:51,810
any kind of immunity
from prosecution that he might have had,
352
00:21:51,893 --> 00:21:56,440
any influence that he would
have had on Colombian drug policy,
353
00:21:56,523 --> 00:21:59,818
but he's personally humiliated
and exposed.
354
00:22:00,986 --> 00:22:03,989
[narrator] Pablo's attempt
to break into politics hit a wall.
355
00:22:04,531 --> 00:22:08,285
But there's more than one way
to bend the government to your will.
356
00:22:09,286 --> 00:22:11,872
And this next one isn't nearly as polite.
357
00:22:21,548 --> 00:22:24,926
[narrator] When you're a man of means,
you can usually count on your money
358
00:22:25,010 --> 00:22:26,470
to advance your interests.
359
00:22:26,553 --> 00:22:27,929
♪ I'm livin' the life, life ♪
360
00:22:28,013 --> 00:22:30,349
♪ Yeah, I'm livin' the life, life, life ♪
361
00:22:30,432 --> 00:22:31,850
[narrator] And by the late 1980s,
362
00:22:32,434 --> 00:22:36,104
few on Earth had greater means
than Pablo Escobar.
363
00:22:36,188 --> 00:22:37,773
♪ I got it made, made, made ♪
364
00:22:37,856 --> 00:22:39,649
♪ I'm doing it right, right, right ♪
365
00:22:39,733 --> 00:22:41,068
[Steve] He's in the limelight.
366
00:22:41,151 --> 00:22:43,862
He's got more money
than he knows what to do with.
367
00:22:46,656 --> 00:22:50,077
He's one of the richest,
if not the richest criminal in the world.
368
00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:51,995
And he doesn't want
to give any of that up.
369
00:22:54,539 --> 00:22:57,751
[narrator] But a new crop of politicians
was looking to make their names
370
00:22:58,335 --> 00:23:02,005
by promising to take Pablo
and his cartel colleagues down.
371
00:23:06,218 --> 00:23:08,363
[Steve] There was an individual
named Luis Carlos Galán
372
00:23:08,387 --> 00:23:10,067
that was running
for president of Colombia,
373
00:23:10,138 --> 00:23:14,393
and his platform was pro-extradition
for the drug traffickers in Colombia.
374
00:23:15,435 --> 00:23:17,604
His popularity rate was phenomenal.
375
00:23:17,687 --> 00:23:20,023
[in Spanish] It arrived in our homeland
376
00:23:20,107 --> 00:23:24,653
as it arrived in more than 60 countries
of the world.
377
00:23:24,736 --> 00:23:26,655
[crowd cheering]
378
00:23:26,738 --> 00:23:28,365
[narrator] If you're Pablo Escobar,
379
00:23:28,448 --> 00:23:32,327
that's the last type of person
you can allow to run your country.
380
00:23:32,411 --> 00:23:36,498
[crowd continues cheering]
381
00:23:37,124 --> 00:23:40,627
[narrator] Time to exert
your influence more directly.
382
00:23:41,628 --> 00:23:43,630
[gunshots]
383
00:23:48,802 --> 00:23:51,888
Galán is assassinated on Escobar's orders.
384
00:23:52,722 --> 00:23:56,184
[narrator] But Galán's ideas
aren't as easy to snuff out.
385
00:23:56,935 --> 00:23:59,187
For Escobar,
his problems haven't gone away
386
00:23:59,271 --> 00:24:01,189
because Galán's chief of staff,
387
00:24:01,273 --> 00:24:04,317
César Gaviria,
becomes the presidential candidate.
388
00:24:04,401 --> 00:24:06,695
[newscaster 1] Gaviria was
also the only candidate
389
00:24:06,778 --> 00:24:08,447
who promised to continue extraditing
390
00:24:08,530 --> 00:24:11,241
some cartel leaders
to the United States for trial.
391
00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:14,119
[narrator] Guess he didn't get
the message.
392
00:24:15,370 --> 00:24:18,206
So, Pablo decides he'll take Gaviria out,
393
00:24:19,291 --> 00:24:22,127
and he goes through the level
of getting intelligence
394
00:24:22,210 --> 00:24:25,922
that César Gaviria is going to be
on the flight going from Bogotáto Cali.
395
00:24:26,506 --> 00:24:29,885
Pablo decided to authorize
to put a bomb on the flight.
396
00:24:31,845 --> 00:24:36,808
Plane takes off,
that bomb explodes in midair.
397
00:24:41,188 --> 00:24:44,733
[newscaster 2] 107 are dead
in Colombia in a plane crash.
398
00:24:44,816 --> 00:24:48,111
The plane went down minutes
after taking off from Bogotá.
399
00:24:48,195 --> 00:24:49,988
It might have been a bomb,
400
00:24:50,071 --> 00:24:53,033
and there is one claim
that drug dealers planted it.
401
00:24:53,825 --> 00:24:55,619
[narrator] But there was one problem.
402
00:24:56,453 --> 00:24:58,497
Gaviria did not travel.
403
00:25:03,335 --> 00:25:05,337
[Steve] So 110 people died
404
00:25:05,420 --> 00:25:10,258
simply because Pablo thought
one man was going to be on that plane.
405
00:25:11,676 --> 00:25:14,387
[Javier] After the airline bomb
by Pablo Escobar,
406
00:25:14,471 --> 00:25:19,809
people were starting to say this guy
needs to be locked up somewhere.
407
00:25:20,519 --> 00:25:24,940
And this is where all the efforts
were now being focused
408
00:25:25,023 --> 00:25:26,858
on finding Pablo Escobar.
409
00:25:28,360 --> 00:25:32,364
[newscaster 3] Colombian police continue
to find and destroy hidden runways,
410
00:25:32,447 --> 00:25:35,492
dismantle cocaine labs,
and search for Pablo Escobar,
411
00:25:35,575 --> 00:25:37,410
head of the Medellín drug cartel.
412
00:25:37,494 --> 00:25:40,163
[narrator] It may seem like
the walls were closing in,
413
00:25:40,789 --> 00:25:43,667
but Pablo still had
one more card up his sleeve
414
00:25:44,584 --> 00:25:47,087
to impose his will and secure his future.
415
00:25:52,926 --> 00:25:57,013
After making billions and becoming
Colombia's most influential citizen,
416
00:25:57,639 --> 00:26:01,268
Pablo Escobar now had
the Colombian authorities on his trail...
417
00:26:01,351 --> 00:26:04,104
[TV announcer speaking in Spanish]
418
00:26:04,187 --> 00:26:07,148
{\an8}[narrator] ...and a population
cheering for his capture.
419
00:26:07,232 --> 00:26:10,694
He needed to shift the odds
back into his favor.
420
00:26:11,278 --> 00:26:13,697
Violence is Escobar's bargaining chip.
421
00:26:15,907 --> 00:26:18,910
It's the only leverage
that he has at this point,
422
00:26:18,994 --> 00:26:23,790
and the only way that he thinks
he can bring the government to the table.
423
00:26:23,873 --> 00:26:25,292
[siren wailing in distance]
424
00:26:25,375 --> 00:26:29,421
Colombia's drug lords responded today
to the government's new get-tough policy.
425
00:26:29,504 --> 00:26:31,172
They declared war on the government.
426
00:26:33,883 --> 00:26:38,471
As the heat is turned up on Escobar,
everything becomes a target,
427
00:26:38,555 --> 00:26:41,766
and basically Bogotábecomes a war zone.
428
00:26:44,519 --> 00:26:47,272
Thousands and thousands
of innocent people were killed.
429
00:26:50,108 --> 00:26:53,528
Then he placed leaflets at car bomb sites.
430
00:26:54,070 --> 00:26:57,157
The extraditables. Los extraditables.
431
00:26:57,657 --> 00:27:03,663
"I prefer a tomb in Colombia
to a jail cell in the United States."
432
00:27:03,747 --> 00:27:05,582
And it was signed "the extraditables."
433
00:27:05,665 --> 00:27:08,710
We knew "the extraditables"
was Pablo Escobar.
434
00:27:08,793 --> 00:27:10,462
That was his calling card.
435
00:27:10,962 --> 00:27:14,424
[narrator] It didn't take long
until Pablo's campaign bore fruit.
436
00:27:15,383 --> 00:27:18,595
[Steve] You get this public opinion
mounting and growing,
437
00:27:18,678 --> 00:27:21,848
going to the government to say,
"What are you gonna do about violence?"
438
00:27:21,931 --> 00:27:24,809
"We've had enough of this.
How are you gonna keep us safe?"
439
00:27:24,893 --> 00:27:26,561
[narrator] Fearing public revolt,
440
00:27:26,645 --> 00:27:29,439
the government had no choice
but to offer Pablo a deal.
441
00:27:31,650 --> 00:27:33,485
[Steve] President César Gaviria
442
00:27:33,568 --> 00:27:36,488
came up with an idea
of the "self-surrender program."
443
00:27:36,571 --> 00:27:39,699
And what that entailed was
you as a criminal come in
444
00:27:39,783 --> 00:27:43,453
and agree to plead guilty
to one crime of your choosing.
445
00:27:44,120 --> 00:27:46,998
And in exchange,
we will absolve you of every other crime
446
00:27:47,082 --> 00:27:49,793
you've ever committed in your life,
to include murders.
447
00:27:50,335 --> 00:27:55,173
This was primarily aimed at bringing in
or bringing down Pablo Escobar.
448
00:27:59,552 --> 00:28:02,847
[narrator] The only thing better
than bringing the government to the table
449
00:28:02,931 --> 00:28:05,975
is having them come on their knees.
450
00:28:07,018 --> 00:28:11,898
[Javier] Pablo Escobar called up
the government of Colombia and said,
451
00:28:11,981 --> 00:28:16,903
"I am willing to stop my bombing campaign,
452
00:28:16,986 --> 00:28:19,406
and I am willing to self-surrender."
453
00:28:20,865 --> 00:28:22,701
"However, I have certain conditions."
454
00:28:22,784 --> 00:28:24,452
They said, "Okay. What is it you want?"
455
00:28:24,536 --> 00:28:26,936
He said, "Well, first of all,
I'm gonna build my own prison."
456
00:28:28,415 --> 00:28:31,584
"Because I need to know
that it's a place that I feel safe in."
457
00:28:32,627 --> 00:28:34,879
And what did the government say? "Okay."
458
00:28:34,963 --> 00:28:36,715
He said,
"Second of all, I need to handpick
459
00:28:36,798 --> 00:28:39,134
all my fellow prisoners
because I got a lot of enemies."
460
00:28:39,217 --> 00:28:42,297
"I've got to make sure there's not people
that would kill me while in prison."
461
00:28:42,762 --> 00:28:44,556
And the government of Columbia said,
"Okay."
462
00:28:44,639 --> 00:28:46,975
"I'm gonna hire my own prison guards."
463
00:28:47,058 --> 00:28:49,728
"Don't worry about their salaries.
I'm gonna pay their salaries."
464
00:28:49,811 --> 00:28:52,021
And the Colombian government said, "Okay."
465
00:28:53,273 --> 00:28:58,653
On top of that, there were no stipulations
to take any of Pablo's assets.
466
00:28:59,279 --> 00:29:03,116
"The big factor is
I need that extradition thing gone."
467
00:29:04,576 --> 00:29:07,120
The government of Colombia said, "Okay."
468
00:29:08,246 --> 00:29:11,374
It was the worst plea deal
in the history of law enforcement
469
00:29:11,458 --> 00:29:13,376
in the entire history of the world.
470
00:29:15,211 --> 00:29:19,674
Basically, Pablo Escobar had won,
and we had lost.
471
00:29:22,260 --> 00:29:24,471
[narrator] But what about
that prison sentence?
472
00:29:24,554 --> 00:29:29,309
The facility of his choice
is known as La Catedral.
473
00:29:29,392 --> 00:29:32,771
[upbeat salsa music playing]
474
00:29:37,275 --> 00:29:43,698
This prison has big-screen TVs,
a jacuzzi, a pool with a waterfall,
475
00:29:43,782 --> 00:29:47,410
and all of the things that Escobar needs
to continue his business
476
00:29:47,494 --> 00:29:50,789
safely inside walls with guards outside.
477
00:29:56,419 --> 00:29:57,879
[music ends]
478
00:30:01,007 --> 00:30:03,218
[narrator] And when after a year
at La Catedral,
479
00:30:03,301 --> 00:30:06,471
the Colombian government
decided to renege on their deal
480
00:30:06,971 --> 00:30:10,141
and transfer Escobar
to a less comfortable prison.
481
00:30:10,225 --> 00:30:12,185
[guns firing]
482
00:30:12,268 --> 00:30:14,270
Pablo's men took up arms,
483
00:30:14,854 --> 00:30:17,398
and Escobar walked
right out the back door.
484
00:30:18,733 --> 00:30:20,693
[newscaster 4] Hundreds of Army troops
485
00:30:20,777 --> 00:30:24,072
scouring the countryside
for Colombia's most wanted man.
486
00:30:24,155 --> 00:30:27,200
So far, Pablo Escobar has outfoxed them.
487
00:30:28,117 --> 00:30:30,286
{\an8}[narrator] Though he didn't stay
on the run forever,
488
00:30:30,954 --> 00:30:35,291
the man who said he preferred death
in Colombia to prison in the US
489
00:30:35,375 --> 00:30:36,960
ultimately got his wish.
490
00:30:41,172 --> 00:30:45,218
Thanks to the Colombian police
and the American Drug Enforcement Agency.
491
00:30:46,261 --> 00:30:49,681
[newscaster 5] Pablo Escobar died
as he had lived, violently.
492
00:30:50,181 --> 00:30:53,935
His death may well be
the final blow to the Medellín cartel.
493
00:30:54,477 --> 00:30:57,397
[narrator] By carving his unique path
through the playbook,
494
00:30:57,939 --> 00:31:01,860
Pablo Escobar became
one of the 10 richest people in the world
495
00:31:01,943 --> 00:31:05,655
with a reported net worth of $30 billion.
496
00:31:06,739 --> 00:31:08,908
Who says crime doesn't pay?
497
00:31:11,619 --> 00:31:13,454
[Michael] The mob mentality is this.
498
00:31:13,538 --> 00:31:16,165
Anyone that hasn't took the oath
is a sucker.
499
00:31:17,584 --> 00:31:19,669
Going into this business
you're gonna make money,
500
00:31:19,752 --> 00:31:21,629
but we don't just kill people.
501
00:31:21,713 --> 00:31:25,383
We see what the public wants,
and we give it to them.
502
00:31:26,509 --> 00:31:30,638
At least the Mafia is not looking
to pull wool over everybody's eyes.
503
00:31:33,433 --> 00:31:37,770
[narrator] Each of these criminal giants
took control of their own destiny
504
00:31:37,854 --> 00:31:41,649
and achieved heights
most mortals can only dream of.
505
00:31:41,733 --> 00:31:45,820
Mob bosses are so respected, so feared.
506
00:31:48,072 --> 00:31:50,992
[narrator] If you're satisfied
with your current existence,
507
00:31:51,075 --> 00:31:54,621
then maybe you're not cut out
for this sort of career change,
508
00:31:55,288 --> 00:31:56,664
but let's be real.
509
00:31:57,165 --> 00:32:00,126
It's plain and simple.
You want money, power, respect?
510
00:32:00,209 --> 00:32:01,794
You want to be the boss.
511
00:32:02,545 --> 00:32:05,757
[narrator] Couldn't we all use more
of the finer things in life?
512
00:32:06,674 --> 00:32:08,384
I've given you the tools.
513
00:32:09,719 --> 00:32:12,472
So, what are you waiting for?
514
00:32:18,102 --> 00:32:20,021
[theme music playing]