Fabio Ochoa Vásquez, who was one of the leaders of the feared Medellín Cartel, reappeared on the public scene after serving a sentence of more than two decades in the United States for drug trafficking.
He was deported to Colombia on December 23, 2024after being released on December 4 of the same year for good behavior, which reduced 15% of his 30-year sentence. After his arrival in the country, Migración Colombia confirmed that he has no pending judicial proceedings, which allows him to live freely in the national territory.
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Since his return, the former drug trafficker expressed his intention to spend his days with his family in Medellín. Although it was initially speculated that he would keep a low profile, the recent images circulating on social networks show a more relaxed and visible aspect of his current life.
His reappearance occurred riding a horse at the El Rancho Equestrian Club, in Medellínone of the most popular spaces for horse riding lovers, as revealed by a photograph published in Instagram. In the image, Ochoa Vásquez is on ‘Galán del Rancho FC’, a three-time world champion of paso Fino. The publication that accompanies the photo reads: “The legendary horse rider Fabio came to ride the legendary three-time world champion Galán del Rancho FC, the son of Adverbio de Santa Gertrudis in Galata, the daughter of Duel…”.
This appearance has generated various reactions, remembering that his family’s love of horses has been documented for decades. In fact, His father, Fabio Ochoa Restrepo, was a renowned rancher who bred high-performance specimens in Antioquia..
Fabio Ochoa, the youngest of the brothers who led the Medellín Cartel, had a criminal career that was less in the media than that of his brothers Jorge Luis and Juan David. He was one of the first to surrender to Colombian justice in the 1990s, being released in 1996.
However, He returned to illicit activities and was arrested again in 1999 for leading an operation that sent 30 tons of cocaine per month to the United States.. According to Mexican authorities, he also maintained links with members of the Milenio cartel, an organization that operated in various regions of Mexico.
One of the most relevant cases in which he was involved was the murder of Barry Seal in 1986, a pilot who worked for the cartel and later became an informant for the DEA. This crime unleashed an escalation in the fight against drug trafficking, exposing the organization’s international connections.
His extradition took place in 2001 under the government of Andrés Pastrana and, in 2003, a United States court sentenced him to 30 years in prison after being found guilty of conspiracy, drug trafficking and distribution of cocaine.
During that period, he remained in maximum security prisons in the United States, where decided to focus on the studies and development of technologies, even patenting a device to produce clean energy. His participation in these activities allowed him to obtain prison benefits that shortened his stay in prison, so he was able to complete his sentence more quickly and thus was able to be deported to Colombia.
The reappearance of Fabio Ochoa in equestrian activities arouses both curiosity and controversy. Although he has already settled his accounts with justice, his history as leader of the Medellín Cartel makes him a polarizing figure. For many, their current life represents a second chance; For others, it is a reminder of the wounds that drug trafficking left in Colombia.
