Griselda Blanco

Griselda Blanco Restrepo (January 15, 1946 – September 3, 2012) was a Colombian drug trafficker who became one of the most notorious and powerful narcotics dealers in the world during the height of the cocaine trade. Born in poverty in Cartagena, Colombia, Blanco rose to become a kingpin in the Miami cocaine trade during the 1970s and 1980s, a period marked by extreme violence and turf wars. She earned the nickname 'La Madrina' (The Godmother) and 'The Black Widow' for her ruthless business practices and alleged involvement in numerous murders, including of her own associates and family members. Blanco was known for her innovation in drug trafficking methods, using private planes and boats to smuggle cocaine into the United States on a massive scale. Her operation generated hundreds of millions of dollars and made her one of the wealthiest women in the world at the height of her power. After decades of eluding authorities, she was extradited to the United States, convicted, and eventually deported to Colombia. Blanco was murdered in 2012 in Medellín, reportedly in retaliation for past crimes. Her story has been documented in books and films, representing a dark chapter in drug trafficking history.