In 1989, they had more money than any other company in history.
$420 million in small bills arrived every week.
But they faced a problem no smuggler could solve:
The money was literally disappearing.
This is the untold story (it will shock you)
$420 million in small bills arrived every week.
But they faced a problem no smuggler could solve:
The money was literally disappearing.
This is the untold story (it will shock you)
In 1989, the Medellín cartel had more cash than any other company in history.
Every week, they received $420 million in small bills.
But then an unexpected problem arose: the money literally began to disappear.
Here is the untold story of this strange situation:
Every week, they received $420 million in small bills.
But then an unexpected problem arose: the money literally began to disappear.
Here is the untold story of this strange situation:
It started with a simple equation:
$60 million in cash. Every day.
That's 5,000 kilos of $100 bills.
But storing all that money? That's where things got interesting.
$60 million in cash. Every day.
That's 5,000 kilos of $100 bills.
But storing all that money? That's where things got interesting.
At the head of this mountain of cash was Roberto Escobar,
Pablo's brother and chief accountant.
His golden rule?
"Money is king, but kings need castles."
So the Escobars bought hundreds of houses
Pablo's brother and chief accountant.
His golden rule?
"Money is king, but kings need castles."
So the Escobars bought hundreds of houses
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They filled the walls and floors with bills.
But despite all these precautions, something very strange began to happen...
The money began to disappear.
But despite all these precautions, something very strange began to happen...
The money began to disappear.
It wasn't a robbery.
It wasn't the police.
No, it was nature itself that declared war on the cartel.
The rats.
It wasn't the police.
No, it was nature itself that declared war on the cartel.
The rats.
Every night they gnawed millions of dollars.
The humidity has rotted entire rooms of banknotes.
The humidity has rotted entire rooms of banknotes.
In one month, they lost more money than some banks do in a year.
The numbers are staggering:
- $42 million lost to rats every month.
- $30 million destroyed by humidity damage.
The numbers are staggering:
- $42 million lost to rats every month.
- $30 million destroyed by humidity damage.
Not even Pablo, with all his wealth, could fight Mother Nature.
Roberto's solution?
A stroke of genius.
"Treat it like any other business: deduct the losses.
Roberto's solution?
A stroke of genius.
"Treat it like any other business: deduct the losses.
As a result, a 10% loss has become the norm.
An unavoidable cost of doing business.
The banks didn't help.
They could only move $350 million a month through the system.
An unavoidable cost of doing business.
The banks didn't help.
They could only move $350 million a month through the system.
The rest?
Just sat there. Rotting.
Feeding the richest rats in Colombia.
Feeding the richest rats in Colombia.
Just sat there. Rotting.
Feeding the richest rats in Colombia.
Feeding the richest rats in Colombia.
Problem:
It was too big and too successful to manage its own success.
While they counted billions, the rats slept on beds made of $100 bills.
The irony of the situation wasn't lost on many:
It was too big and too successful to manage its own success.
While they counted billions, the rats slept on beds made of $100 bills.
The irony of the situation wasn't lost on many:
The most powerful criminal empire in the world, brought down not by the DEA or the FBI, but by rodents and rain.
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