Fabio Ochoa Vasquez, a former high-ranking member of the Medellín Cartel, was deported to Colombia and freed on Monday after serving 25 years of a 30-year sentence in the United States for drug trafficking. Ochoa, 67, arrived at Bogotá’s El Dorado International Airport, where Colombian immigration officials confirmed he was not wanted by authorities and allowed him to reunite with his family.
Ochoa’s criminal legacy is tied to the infamous Medellín Cartel, once led by Pablo Escobar. In the 1980s, Ochoa and his brothers, Juan David and Jorge Luis, played a central role in the cartel’s rise, with Fabio overseeing operations in Miami. At the height of their influence, the Ochoa brothers were featured on Forbes magazine’s billionaire list in 1987.
Ochoa’s history includes multiple arrests, extraditions, and a 2001 U.S. conviction for drug smuggling. Unlike co-defendants who cooperated with authorities for lighter sentences, Ochoa opted for trial, resulting in a harsher penalty.
Despite his long absence, Ochoa remains a figure of intrigue. He was recently portrayed in Netflix series Narcos and Griselda, revisiting his role in the rise of the cocaine trade.
Authorities speculate that Ochoa’s fortune, much of which was never recovered, may secure his financial comfort in Colombia. Richard Gregorie, a former U.S. prosecutor, noted, “He won’t be retiring a poor man, that’s for sure.”