Drug trafficking leader Griselda Blanco, known as ‘The Black Widow’, has been the subject of interest and controversy around the world due to her history in the world of organized crime.
(Read more: What is true and what is a lie in Sofía Vergara’s ‘Griselda’ series?).
During the 1970s and 1980s, this native of Cartagena became one of the most wanted figures internationally, moving more than a ton of cocaine a month between Colombia and the United States, and being linked to at least 250 homicides.
However, Griselda Blanco’s life took an unexpected turn when she was released after spending four years in prison in the United States for health reasons.
It was thought that she had abandoned the illicit drug business, but her tragic fate reached her on the streets of Medellín on September 3, 2012. A hitman, aboard a motorcycle, shot her twice in the head, putting an end to his life at 69 years old.
(Continue reading: ‘Griselda’ series: who is Papo Mejía, the rival of ‘The Godmother’ in real life?).
The murderer in question was a man around 30 years old, and authorities presumed that the crime was related to pending settlements from the past, when Griselda still resided in Colombia and had not expanded his illicit business to the United States.
The ‘godmother’ was murdered in Medellín at the age of 69.
Griselda Blanco’s story has been brought to the small screen with the Netflix series that has achieved great success worldwide. Sofía Vergara played the role of ‘The Black Widow’, whose three husbands also ended up losing their lives under mysterious circumstances.
The death of Griselda Blanco was not the only tragic episode in her family. Three of her four children also died in violent deaths.
(You may be interested in: The tragic end of a family with power: how Griselda Blanco’s children died).
Dixon, her firstborn, was murdered after being released from prison, as was her husband Carlos Trujillo, in 1992. Uber and Osvaldo ‘Ozzy’ Trujillo were also victims of alleged score-settling related to the drug business, while their mother remained in prison.
Griselda Blanco’s family.
Michael Corleone, the son of Griselda Blanco and Darío Sepúlveda, plans to release a book detailing his mother’s story, shedding light on the life and dark businesses of the drug trafficking leader. The capture of Griselda Blanco in 1985 was an event in the fight against drug trafficking.
How was Griselda Blanco captured?
US DEA agent Robert Palombo, who had been pursuing her for more than a decade, broke into her Irvine, California, residence to arrest her. With the words “Hello, Griselda. We finally meet,” Palombo put an end to the criminal’s escape.
(Continue reading: Sofía Vergara will give life to one of the new characters in ‘Despicable Me 4’).
In a last attempt to hide her identity, Griselda Blanco attempted to fool authorities by pretending to be ‘Betty’ while holding a Bible in bed. However, fake documents, passports and weapons found at her residence confirmed her true identity.
Differences between reality and fiction in the series about Griselda Blanco and her family
The plot of ‘The Black Widow’ takes certain creative liberties, especially with regard to Griselda Blanco’s family and marital relationships. For example, the series portrays the murder of Alberto Bravo, her second husband, at the beginning of the story.
Contrary to what is shown in the series, where Bravo is murdered by Blanco in Medellín, historical records indicate that his death occurred in Bogotá.
In addition, the series suggests that Griselda’s first three children were the result of her union with Bravo. However, according to reports from EL TIEMPO, Griselda Blanco married Carlos Trujillo, a specialist in document falsification, at the age of 14, and with him she had her first three children: Dixon, Uber and Osvaldo.
Griselda Blanco’s first crime
Since moving to Medellín with her mother while she was still a child, Griselda Blanco’s life was tinged with poverty. The book ‘Cocaine Cowgirl’ about her life relates that at age 11, Ella Blanco committed her first serious crime: she kidnapped a boy her age along with her friends. Realizing that the kidnapping would not bring them any money, she decided to kill him.
After a dispute with her mother, Blanco, at age 14, left home and married Carlos Trujillo, who used falsified documents to facilitate her transfer to the United States.
What happened to the mansion he lived in in Miami?
Griselda’s mansion in Miami was purchased for around US$11 million, and later demolished
Photo:
Club Ripples / Miami
Located in the heart of Miami-Dade, the mansion became famous for its wild bisexual parties and a bronze statue of Griselda, considered a talisman by her followers.
With the premiere of “Griselda” on Netflix, curiosity arises about the location and real structure of the mansion. Reports indicate that it was located in Miami Beach, a luxury enclave on the barrier islands between the Atlantic and Biscayne Bay, also known for harboring criminals such as Pablo Escobar.
Eventually, the mansion was confiscated and sold. In 2014, Christian de Berdouare, founder of Chicken Kitchen, bought it for $9.65 billion, with the aim of demolishing it and building a modern building. The land, now empty, was put up for sale in 2020 for $10.995 million.
More news
– Sofía Vergara responds to Roy Barreras’ criticism of ‘Griselda’
– Karol G reveals what her next challenge as an actress would be: ‘Being the bad girl’
– What was the relationship between Griselda Blanco and Pablo Escobar?
*This content was made with the assistance of artificial intelligence, based on information from La Nación (GDA), and was reviewed by the journalist and an editor.