Griselda: Who sent her to prison?

❘ Published: 2024-01-25T13:00:00

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She did the crime, and she did the time – but who ultimately sent Griselda Blanco to prison? Here’s everything you need to know.

Aside from the likes of Pablo Escobar, one of the most notorious drug lords in all of history was Colombia’s own Griselda Blanco.

Now her life is set to get the Netflix treatment, with a six-part limited series exploring her life and rise to the top of Miami’s cocaine trade in the 1980s.

With the fictional side of her story told, it’s time to look at the cold, hard facts – who was responsible for sending Griselda Blanco to prison? Here’s what you need to know.

Who sent Griselda Blanco to prison?

Griselda Blanco’s notable hitman, Jorge Ayala, was the person who testified against her, ultimately leading to her most significant prison sentencing.

Blanco was first arrested back in 1985, where she was charged with conspiring to manufacture, import, and distribute cocaine. Her case went to New York City where she was found guilty, with her sentence spanning 15 years.

It was while Griselda Blanco was serving this prison sentence that she was also tried for three counts of first-degree murder. This more serious and severe sentence was able to successfully be tried thanks to the testimonial of Blanco’s former hitman, Jorge Ayala.

In the Netflix series, viewers see the side of Griselda Blanco that was less trusting of people, having fled Medellín in Colombia in the hopes of finding safety – and a slice of the drug trade for herself – in Miami, Florida. Tying the series storyline and Blanco’s real life together, it’s easy to see why there was a natural sense of distrust. Her relationship with Jorge is explored, pitting him as a trusted and necessary ally in an industry that was out to get her.

The case against her for first-degree murder was dropped after a phone sex scandal involving Ayala later surfaced. Instead, Blanco was tried for second-degree murder, which she pled guilty to in 1998. The two sentences then ran consecutively, with Blanco suffering a heart attack while incarcerated in 2002.

Though some say Blanco was deported, she allegedly was released back to Medellín in 2004 because of her ongoing health issues. The last time she was publicly seen was in 2007 before she was murdered in 2012 in a drive-by assassination. According to rumors, Griselda was still operating in the Colombian drugs ring up until the mid-2000s.

Griselda streams on Netflix from January 25. Check out our other Netflix hubs below: