Key facts
- Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, was sentenced to life in prison in a U.S. federal court.
- Zambada pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and continuing criminal enterprise charges.
- He admitted to transporting millions of kilograms of cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine to the U.S.
- Prosecutors argued for a sentence considering ongoing security risks posed by Zambada.
- Zambada faces $15 billion in financial penalties.
Mexican drug kingpin Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada has been sentenced to life in prison in a U.S. federal court. Zambada, 76, appeared before U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan in Brooklyn federal court for his sentencing after pleading guilty last year to charges including racketeering conspiracy and continuing criminal enterprise. He admitted to shipping millions of kilograms of cocaine and other drugs over decades as the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel. Zambada was arrested in July 2024 alongside Joaquin Guzman Lopez, one of 'El Chapo' Guzman's sons. Zambada's lawyer, Frank Perez, requested that his client be placed in a facility with adequate medical care, but prosecutors argued that security concerns, including the possibility of continuing to direct cartel activities from behind bars, should be considered. Zambada faces $15 billion in financial penalties.