In a shocking revelation, Tirso “TJ” Dominguez, a former top pilot for Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, has disclosed that he earned up to $20 million per month flying planeloads of cocaine into the United States during the height of the Medellín Cartel’s operations.
Speaking in the newly released “Cocaine Air” podcast, Dominguez broke his silence for the first time since his dramatic arrest in 1988, detailing how he transformed from a marijuana smuggler to one of Escobar’s most trusted transporters.
“I had 30 Lamborghinis. They brought me the car that matched the shirt I decided to wear that day,” he said, describing the extravagant lifestyle his drug empire funded.
NAIJABLOGDAILY.COM
Dominguez claimed that Escobar offered him $5 million per flight, with up to four flights a month, bringing his monthly earnings to a staggering $20 million. Prior to working with Escobar, he was reportedly already making $4 million monthly flying for a rival cartel.
Born into a wealthy Florida family, Dominguez said his descent into drug trafficking began after his father died of cancer and a bank refused to approve a loan. He started smuggling marijuana from the Bahamas and Colombia, but was later drawn into cocaine smuggling after a failed drop put his life at risk.
Despite his role in the drug trade, Dominguez insisted he never used drugs himself. However, he admitted that financial pressure and greed lured him deeper into the cartel world.
Eventually, Escobar started paying him in cocaine instead of cash, allowing Dominguez to set up his own cocaine distribution network. His criminal empire expanded to include an exotic car dealership, a cellphone business, a private jet company, and even a pet mountain lion named Top Cat.
HEED: Follow us on Instagram or any other social media platform and get the most reliable news directly in your favourite app!
In April 1988, federal agents raided his lavish Florida mansion, seizing luxury cars, airplanes, and properties. Dominguez was arrested, pleaded guilty, and spent 13 years in prison, including two years in solitary confinement after a failed helicopter escape plot.
Now 73 years old, the former smuggler says he is focused on rebuilding his life legally, using his story as a warning about the high cost of crime.
Stay tuned to Naija Blog Daily for more explosive stories on global crime, drug cartels, and real-life confessions that made history.
NaijaBlogDaily# is visible on all social media platforms, and we bring you the latest Nigerian news on politics and economy, entertainment, and celebrity updates, including sports across Nigeria and beyond…
Keep visiting and following up with us on any social media platform you are using to keep you updated 💯
Remember (information brings knowledge and power).
STAY TUNED!!!
