from 21st Century Wire: HAPPIER DAYS: It was just a year ago that Zelensky and Ukraine seemed to be riding high in global popularity. Now the regime in Kiev is on the verge of collapse.  RT International… Ukraine could go bankrupt as early as next year unless Western countries agree to write off or restructure […]

Everyone knows the name Pablo Escobar. Most have a passing idea of what exactly made the so-called King of Cocaine so infamous. The founder and head of the Medellín Cartel was in a position of great power. However‚ with such a position‚ trusted individuals were hard to find.  Escobar needed someone on his side that he could trust implicitly. He found that person in Gustavo Gaviria. Gustavo was more than just a high-ranking employee of Escobar–he was also his cousin. He was considered by some to be the real brains behind Pablo Escobar’s narcotic empire.  In this article‚ we will explore Gustavo’s rise‚ the part he played in the cartel’s drug trade‚ and what eventually befell the Lion of Medellín.  Gustavo Gaviria seen in a rare photograph Growing Up With Pablo Escobar: Gustavo Gaviria’s Early Years Born on Christmas day‚ 1946‚ Gustavo de Jesús Gaviria Rivero was three years Escobar’s senior. From the moment his cousin Pablo was born‚ the lives of the two boys were intertwined. The early years of his life were fairly unremarkable. But as he entered his teenage years‚ he and Escobar both began to explore criminal activity. Their first endeavors weren’t ever going to launch them into the lives of riches and international notoriety they would eventually experience. However‚ it was a start. All that mattered at the time was making money. Gustavo and Escobar did whatever they could to accomplish that goal. Everything from snatching tires off parked cars to pilfering gravestones‚ filing off the information‚ and reselling them. No low was too low‚ as long as it paid. By the 1970s‚ their crimes became less annoying and veered hard into the world of danger. Their next endeavor was kidnapping.  Unsurprisingly‚ this turn to truly serious‚ harmful criminal activities got both Pablo Escobar and Gustavo Gaviria arrested. This arrest would be the catalyst for their rise in the drug smuggling world. Pablo Escobar‚ 1989 International Cocaine Trade and the Medellín Cartel Deep in Colombia‚ after he had been released after his arrest‚ Gustavo Gaviria and his cousin felt the rumbling of demand coming from the United States–the demand for cocaine.  By 1976‚ Pablo Escobar was heavily into organized crime and was already dealing in cocaine. During the following years‚ the Medellín Cartel would begin to take shape‚ with Escobar leveraging his money and influence as a drug lord to manipulate the Colombian government.  Escobar didn’t leave his cousin Gustavo behind‚ and for good reason. Where Pablo was charismatic and unafraid to resort to violence‚ Gustavo Gaviria was less conspicuous. His mind and talents lent themselves better to the financial side of the business. He was the perfect counterpart to the overspending that Escobar tended to indulge in.  What Did Gustavo Gaviria do for Pablo Escobar? Clearly defining what Gustavo did in his role for the Medellín Cartel is difficult‚ considering the inner workings of Escobar’s empire. We do know that Gustavo Gaviria was most well known for being the “right-hand man” for Escobar‚ ” and one of the few people who had his true‚ unequivocal trust.  This wasn’t an example of someone powerful offering a family member a job simply because of a blood relation. Gustavo was brilliant‚ and without him‚ it’s possible that Escobar would have never reached the heights that he did.  Where Escobar excelled as the figurehead of the cartel‚ Gustavo kept the gears turning behind the scenes even as the cartel began to do an absolutely unbelievable amount of business. The Colombian government couldn’t keep up. Any attempts to stop the cartel were woefully inadequate. At one point‚ the Medellín Cartel and the two cousins at the head of it were providing 80% of the cocaine going into the United States.  Gustavo’s role was multifaceted. He handled much of the financial work for Escobar. When their means of smuggling were interrupted‚ Gustavo would figure out alternatives‚ some of them genius in their creativity. There were the usual routes of hiding the cocaine in food and drink products‚ but Gustavo also orchestrated smuggling the cocaine in denim fabric. The denim would be soaked in cocaine‚ which would later be removed by American chemists.  When all of these contributions to the cartel are considered‚ it’s easy to see why Gustavo is often referred to as the brains of the operation‚ and Escobar the brawn.  A still of Gustavo Gaviria from a YouTube video The Death of Gustavo Gaviria  While Escobar’s empire was growing at an incredible rate‚ he wanted more. Manipulating politics with bribes and hitmen wasn’t enough anymore–he wanted to be involved in the Colombian government himself.  By the late 1980s‚ Escobar was endearing himself to the Colombian public by providing much-needed infrastructure and housing to poorer neighborhoods. None of that mattered to the government‚ though. He was still a wanted criminal‚ and by association‚ so was Gustavo.  When Justice Minister Rodrigo Lara Bonilla challenged Escobar and was killed in the process‚ the tension between the Medellín Cartel and the government reached a fever pitch.  The cartel was hitting hard with bombings and assassinations. But on August 11‚ 1990‚ the Colombian government struck Pablo Escobar in the heart.  Police had managed to track down the location of Gustavo Gaviria in a wealthy Medellín neighborhood. Gustavo was a man who enjoyed luxuries‚ and his penchant for the finer things may have made him easier to locate.  The operation to find Gustavo was carried about by a special forces unit known as Search Bloc. A raid commenced‚ and in the skirmish‚ Gustavo Gaviria‚ cousin and right hand of Pablo Escobar‚ was killed. The official word was that Gustavo had been shot during a firefight. However‚ his cousin always believed that a more sinister‚ agonizing death from torture may have befallen Gustavo.  No matter how he perished‚ the death of Gustavo Galviria shook Escobar to the core. Shortly before Gustavo’s death‚ the Medellín Cartel had made a truce with the Colombian government. All of that went out the window when new president Cesar Gaviria‚ no relation to Gustavo‚ was elected. The new president had his sights set on finally dealing with the drug smuggling trade‚ and alliances of tentative peace agreements were destroyed.  Gustavo’s single death would result in retaliatory violence‚ and in time‚ contributed to the unraveling of Pablo Escobar’s empire as a whole.  References  “Key Cocaine Cartel Member Killed by Colombia Police During Raid” https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-08-12-mn-1038-story.html “The Ever Changing Logistics of Drug Smuggling” https://www.wsj.com/ad/cocainenomics-the-logistics.htmlThe post Gustavo Gaviria: Pablo Escobar’s Right-Hand Man first appeared on History Defined.

Henry Hill is a name synonymous with the world of organized crime. He rose to infamy as a key player in the notorious Lucchese crime family. His life and criminal exploits later inspired one of the greatest crime movies of all time. From his early days as an errand boy for the mob to his later cooperation with law enforcement‚ Henry Hill’s journey provides a unique insight into the world of organized crime. Henry Hill mugshot‚ 1980. FBI Early Life and Entry into Organized Crime Born on June 11‚ 1943‚ in New York City‚ Henry Hill grew up in a working-class family. His father Henry Hill Sr. was an electrician. His mother Carmela worked as a dressmaker. Henry was the third of six children. He experienced firsthand the challenges and limitations of growing up in poverty in Brooklyn. The neighborhoods he navigated were rife with organized crime and street-level criminal activities. This created opportunities for those tough enough to grab them. Life was hard for young Henry growing up. His parents barely made enough money to support their six children. Henry knew that if he didn’t do something‚ they would live like this forever.  As he came of age in the vibrant yet turbulent streets of New York‚ the allure of the criminal underworld became increasingly captivating. The magnetic pull of money‚ respect‚ and a sense of belonging became irresistible. Rather than getting a traditional job to help support his family‚ he became involved in small criminal activities‚ including running errands for local mobsters. Henry Hill’s involvement with the Lucchese crime family began when he caught the attention of Paul Vario‚ a caporegime in the family. The story goes that Hill‚ as a teenager‚ started running errands for Vario’s associates‚ performing small tasks‚ and establishing himself as a reliable and resourceful individual. This early association allowed Hill to forge connections and trust within the organization. Criminal Activities and Rise in the Mob Paul Vario was impressed with young Henry’s resourcefulness and dependability. These qualities are highly valued in the world of organized crime. Hill’s initiation into the Lucchese family involved a gradual process of earning trust and proving his loyalty. As he became more deeply enmeshed in the family’s operations‚ Hill took on various roles‚ from running errands to participating in criminal activities. One of the most important relationships Henry formed within the family was with James “Jimmy the Gent” Burke. He was a Lucchese associate portrayed by Robert De Niro in the movie “Goodfellas.” Burke became Henry’s mentor‚ guiding him through the ins and outs of organized crime. Through his association with Burke and other influential figures in the Lucchese family‚ Hill gained access to a world of power‚ money‚ and influence. Over time‚ Henry Hill became a trusted associate of the Lucchese crime family. His reliability‚ ability to handle responsibilities‚ and unwavering loyalty endeared him to his superiors. He was privy to the inner workings of the family. He participated in decisions and operations that elevated his status. The Lufthansa Heist One of the biggest and most consequential jobs that Henry Hill was involved in was The Air France Heist. Also known as the Lufthansa Heist‚ the job took place on December 11‚ 1978‚ at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. It was a meticulously planned and thought-out robbery. It involved stealing millions of dollars in cash and valuables from the vault of the Air France cargo building.  The heist was masterminded by James Burke. Burke had inside information about the cargo building’s layout and security systems‚ as well as the timing of valuable shipments. The Air France cargo building held a significant amount of cash and valuables. This included currency from foreign banks and expensive items being transported on international flights. To gain access to the vault‚ the thieves needed to take care of the security that guarded the airport at night. They did this by bribing key individuals within the airport’s staff‚ ensuring that the security systems were not fully operational during the heist. On the night of the heist‚ members of the Lucchese crime family descended upon the Air France cargo building. The thieves managed to seize approximately $5 million in cash and nearly $875‚000 in jewelry without alerting any authorities. The total value of the stolen goods was estimated to be around $10 million. The loot included a mix of U.S. and foreign currency. The heist has since become one of the largest cash robberies in U.S. history. Henry Hill‚ Associated Press Turning Point: Becoming an Informant The success of the Lufthansa Heist was a huge payday for Henry Hill and everyone involved. However‚ so much money came with a responsibility and depended on everyone’s cooperation. Because of the sheer magnitude of the heist‚ they all agreed to hang low and not spend their money extravagantly so they don’t attract attention. But as law enforcement continued to sniff around‚ internal strife intensified. Suspicions grew about who might be cooperating with authorities. Other members began to worry that the large purchases of some of the members might draw the attention of the police. As internal conflicts within the Lucchese crime family escalated‚ Hill’s life came under threat. Fearful for his safety and realizing the imminent danger he faced both from law enforcement and within the family‚ Hill began contemplating cooperation as a means of self-preservation. Law enforcement agencies were watching from around every corner and were well aware of Hill’s predicament. Seeking an opportunity‚ they approached him with an offer of witness protection. The promise of a new identity‚ safety for himself and his family‚ and a reduced sentence became a tempting choice and an opportunity to get out of his life of crime.  Witness Protection and Life After the Mob In the late 1980’s Henry Hill entered into witness protection with federal law enforcement. As part of this agreement‚ he agreed to provide testimony against members of the Lucchese crime family in exchange for a reduced sentence and protection for himself and his family. Growing up within the mob‚ Hill knew all too well the consequences of snitching. As part of the witness protection program‚ Hill and his family underwent a comprehensive identity change. They were provided with new names‚ Social Security numbers‚ and personal histories to erase any trace of their former identities and protect them from mob retaliation.  Hill‚ along with his wife Karen and their children‚ was relocated. The exact location and details of the relocation were kept confidential to minimize the risk of discovery by his former gang members. Hill had to stick to strict rules outlined by the Witness Protection Program. This included:  maintaining a low profile refraining from contact with former associates refraining from engaging in any criminal activities Hill continued to cooperate with law enforcement during his time in the Witness Protection Program. His testimony was instrumental in several trials‚ leading to the convictions of many key members of his former crime family. Adaptation into Popular Culture Following his cooperation and entry into the Witness Protection Program‚ Hill lived a relatively quiet life. Nicholas Pileggi’s book “Wiseguy‚” was published in 1986‚ and was based on extensive interviews with Henry Hill and explores his life in the mob.  The book narrates Hill’s rise in the mob and his involvement in various criminal activities‚ including the Air France Heist. It provided insights into the inner workings of the mafia that most people had never heard about. Henry Hill and Ray Liotta who played his character in the film “Goodfellas” In 1990 Martin Scorsese adapted “Wiseguy” into the film “Goodfellas”. Revered for its unparalleled storytelling and cinematic brilliance‚ the film garnered widespread critical acclaim‚ solidifying its status as a quintessential standard in the realm of crime movies. References Henry Hill https://www.biography.com/crime/henry-hill Henry Hill https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Hill# The Real-Life Goodfellas: Meet The Mobsters Behind The Movie https://allthatsinteresting.com/henry-hill-real-life-goodfellasThe post Henry Hill: Real Life Goodfella of the Lucchese Family first appeared on History Defined.

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