who is el chapos lawyer

by Ola Stiedemann 4 min read

Jeffrey Lichtman

Who is El Chapo and where is he now?

Joaquín Guzmán Loera, also known as El Chapo, was escorted to a helicopter in Mexico City in 2016 after breaking out of a maximum security prison and being recaptured.

Who is El Chapo’s lawyer Joanna Colón Miró?

When Colón Miró was admitted to the bar in September 2018, Guzmán asked her if she would join his defense team as a trial attorney. Colón Miró had a job lined up at the Legal Aid Society, but she didn’t want to abandon a client with whom she’d become very close. She accepted El Chapo’s offer.

Did Chapo Guzmán trust his lawyer?

“Chapo, not being American and familiar with our justice system, didn’t trust everyone who worked on the case,” said Jeffrey Lichtman, one of Guzmán’s attorneys who is best known for winning an acquittal for John Gotti Jr. in 2005. “But he always trusted her.”

What is El Chapo doing in the ADX?

Last week, Fernich and Colón Miró visited him at the supermax prison ADX in Florence, Colorado, known as the “Alcatraz of the Rockies.” She said that El Chapo isn’t adjusting well to life in a supermax. Though he now gets outdoor exercise time, he gets even fewer visits.

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Did El Chapo have a lawyer?

A lawyer for Mexican drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera asked a federal appeals court in Manhattan on Monday to grant him a new trial, saying a media report of alleged juror misconduct was reason to overturn his conviction for running a narcotics empire.

Who defended El Chapo in court?

U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan defended his decision not to grant Guzman a new trial amid claims of juror misconduct in the case. Guzman was found guilty in February of leading a murderous drug conspiracy. He was ordered to pay $12.6 billion in ill-gotten drug proceeds.

Who helped take down El Chapo?

In 2020, Pedro and Margarito Flores were released from prison into witness protection. The brothers from Chicago's Little Village neighborhood were largely responsible for information that led to the federal takedown of cartel kingpin El Chapo.

Who was El Chapo's right hand?

El Mayo is the leader of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, taking over five years ago for the notorious drug lord known as El Chapo. El Mayo has been on the lam for decades. He is 73 and said to be in ill health, and may no longer be on the run. For decades, he was the right hand man to Joaquin El Chapo Guzman.

What judge sentenced El Chapo?

Judge Brian CoganThe decision by the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan rejected claims that Judge Brian Cogan made rulings allowing a jury to hear faulty evidence at Guzman's 2019 trial.

How much money did El Chapo have?

Guzmán, the infamous former leader of the Sinaloa cartel, is serving a life sentence in a US prison. He was one of the biggest traffickers of drugs to the US and, in 2009, entered Forbes' list of the world's richest men at number 701, with an estimated worth of $1bn.

Who is the biggest drug lord 2021?

Ismael Zambada GarcíaAs of 2021, the Sinaloa Cartel remains Mexico's most dominant drug cartel. After the arrest of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, the cartel is now headed by Ismael Zambada García (aka El Mayo) and Guzmán's sons, Alfredo Guzmán Salazar, Ovidio Guzmán López and Ivan Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar.

Who is Margarito Flores?

Pedro Flores (left) and his brother Margarito Flores once were the biggest drug traffickers in Chicago — till they got caught and agreed to help federal authorities bring down Sinaloa cartel drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera.

How much money did the Flores twins make?

The Flores brothers are Chicago's most notorious twins, raking in millions as El Chapo's emissaries here before they flipped on the boss and took him down. New court records reveal one joint account amounted to more than $5 million in cash deposited under the floorboards of a house.

Did El Chapo know Pablo Escobar?

Pablo Escobar and El Chapo had met once, as confirmed by El Chapo in an interview with Sean Penn.

Who is El Chapo top hitman?

He was a close lieutenant of the former cartel leader Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán....Manuel Alejandro Aponte Gómez.Manuel "Aponte"Alejandro Gomez DiazDied9 April 2015 (aged 40) La Cruz de Elota, Sinaloa, MexicoNationalityMexicanOther names"El Bravo"OccupationProfessional hitman3 more rows

Where is El Chapo son now?

Jesús Alfredo Guzmán Salazar, known as Alfredillo, is believed to be at the top of the heap. He's now under indictment in Chicago, charged with trafficking and conspiracy. El Chapo's apparent number-one son doesn't hide his narco-world affluence.

How did El Chapo respond to the glass?

El Chapo responded by putting his hand against the glass between them. She reciprocated to form a kind of maximum-security handshake. Over the next three hours, Colón Miró and Guzmán chatted about their backgrounds, politics (he asked her about President Trump and Mayor de Blasio), and the upcoming elections in Mexico.

Why didn't El Chapo exercise?

El Chapo wasn’t allowed any outdoor exercise time, likely on account of his two successful escapes from prison in Mexico. When Colón Miró filed a request to allow him to exercise outside, the government responded by citing a 1981 escape attempt in which an inmate’s accomplices hijacked a tourist helicopter and tried to break him out of the MCC prison yard. The fact that the escape attempt was unsuccessful didn’t seem to play into the judge’s decision, as he denied Colón Miró’s request.

Who was El Chapo's junior attorney?

As a junior attorney on the team, Colón Miró filed creative motions making arguments that had a strategic impact on the case — but it was her ability to put El Chapo at ease that most impressed the all-star team of defense attorneys Guzmán had assembled for himself.

Who was the woman in charge of the drug cartel?

Colón Miró went into a jail holding some of the most notorious defendants in the country, and introduced herself to the man in charge of a multibillion-dollar drug cartel responsible for untold murders — 33 of which federal prosecutors had pinned directly on him. Colón Miró said she sat down across from El Chapo and said hello.

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Who was El Chapo's lawyer?

The name she’d googled was Joaquín “El Chapo” Archivaldo Guzmán Loera, the infamous leader of the Sinaloa cartel. Colón Miró would go on to join El Chapo’s trial team as an attorney and impress his seasoned defense attorneys so much that one of them hired her to join Jeffrey Epstein’s defense team before the convicted sex offender committed suicide.

Who sings in the choir at Hillsong?

She has a stud in her nose and sings in the choir at Hillsong, the cool kids’ church that counts Justin Bieber, Chris Pratt, and Kevin Durant among its congregants. Colón Miró is genial and enthusiastic and, more than anything, she is madly loyal to her clients.

Where was El Chapo escorted?

Joaquín Guzmán Loera, also known as El Chapo, was escorted to a helicopter in Mexico City in 2016 after breaking out of a maximum security prison and being recaptured.

Who was Jeffrey Lichtman?

Jeffrey Lichtman, who defended John Gotti Jr. on racketeering charges in 2005, was hired by Joaquín Guzmán Loera.

Who is El Chapo's lawyer?

Giving up his taxpayer-funded public defenders, Joaquín Guzmán Loera, the Mexican drug lord best known as El Chapo, has hired a private lawyer: Jeffrey Lichtman, a combative legal defense specialist who is himself best known for keeping the Mafia scion, John Gotti Jr., out of prison at a trial 12 years ago .

How long was Davis in jail?

Davis, who was tried as a juvenile, copped to one count of first-degree robbery in June and was sentenced to 18 months in detention. Weaver and Lewis — who face murder and robbery charges — are being tried as adults.

Did El Chapo wear handcuffs?

“When El Chapo came into court, he wasn’t at the defense table wearing handcuffs,” he said. “The contrast hit me pretty hard.

Who asked the court officers to remove the defendants' handcuffs?

During the hearing, attended by Weaver’s parents, Lichtman asked the court officers to remove the defendants’ handcuffs and they agreed.

Who was arrested for robbery in June?

Davis, who was tried as a juvenile, copped to one count of first-degree robbery in June and was sentenced to 18 months in detention. Weaver and Lewis — who face murder and robbery charges — are being tried as adults. Enlarge Image. Rashaun Weaver William Farrington.

Who is Tessa Majors?

Majors was an aspiring journalist and accomplished bass player — and the daughter of an English professor at James Madison University. Filed under barnard college , harlem , murders , Tessa Majors , 9/8/20.

Why did Balarezo leak personal information?

In heavily redacted court filings from October, prosecutors argued Balarezo’s running of the mouth to the media was endangering potential witnesses. They accused him of leaking personal information about such witnesses in an effort to intimidate them. Earlier, he was made to sign a protective order pledging to cease divulging personal information, “to ensure that the Sinaloa Cartel does not harm or kill those witnesses.” Balarezo denied he violated the order.

Where did Chapo and Beltran grow up?

The two men grew up in the same terrain of Sinaloa, making their mark as drug chiefdoms in the early 90’s. Chapo went with the Sinaloa cartel, and Beltran-Leyva grew up in the Beltran-Leyva Organization (BLO). But cooperation between the two continued, entrenched even further after Beltran-Leyva – who became famous for his fashion choices centered on donning a grenade-adorned vest – married one of Guzmán’s cousins.

How long is the Guzmán trial?

Given the trial is expected to go on for at least four months, the defense attorney price tag is sure to run into the millions of dollars. Guzmán told Judge Brian Cogan he wanted his family south of the border to front the fees.

How old is Jeffrey Lichtman?

Manhattan lawyer and New Jersey native, Jeffrey Lichtman, 53, signed onto the accused cartel boss’ defense team in August, after months of meetings – apparently much to 61-year-old Guzmán’s delight – who wanted him on-board from the very beginning.

How old is Guzmán's wife?

Guzmán’s California-born, 29-year-old wife Emma Coronel Aispuro is known for her lavish lifestyle, with no other revealed source of income other than what has stemmed from her more 11-year marriage to the cartel king.

How many men are in El Chapo's trial?

But there's no doubt Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán’s three-man trial defense team have spent decades perfecting their craft – defending some of the most high-profile, dangerous accused criminals on the planet.

Why was Beltran-Leyva sentenced to life in prison?

Beltran-Leyva was sentenced to life behind bars in April last year, after pleading guilty to distributing multiple tons of cocaine and meth.

Why did Cifuentes give Chapo a helicopter?

When Cifuentes gifted Chapo with a million-dollar helicopter so he could fly in a “civilized way,” the Colombian said he could see an acquisitional gleam in Guzmán’s “shining little eyes.” Under ordinary circumstances, Chapo might have sent an army of sicarios to kill Cifuentes for such insults, but here in Brooklyn, he had to rely on Jeffrey Lichtman, his mouthpiece proxy warrior.

What game did Lichtman play with Cifuentes?

Thus, the terms of engagement were set. What followed was a semi-epic game of cat and mouse, with Lichtman lobbing a fusillade of George Foreman–style haymakers, most of which Cifuentes successfully parried like a furtive Ali. Asked by counsel if he had indeed kidnapped his own grandmother, Jorge Milton shrugged and said such things happened in all families. When Lichtman began to pummel the witness with questions about his tax status, Cifuentes scoffed at so puny a charge by raising his right hand and saying “guilty.”

How old was Jorge Milton?

This was the 52-year old Colombian Jorge Milton Cifuentes-Villa. Jorge Milton gave his allegiance to no cartel, but rather to his own blood, the iconic Cifuentes-Villa clan. The clan was composed of Jorge Milton’s charismatic older sibling Fernando, known as Pacho (murdered 2007); brother Hildebrando (“Alex”); sisters Dolly and Lucia; and nephew Jaime Alberto Roll. Operating as an independent entity, the Cifuentes-Villas sold top-grade Colombian cocaine to big-time narco operations including El Chapo’s Sinaloa Cartel for decades. Prior to his 2012 arrest in Venezuela, Jorge Milton estimated he personally had a hand in smuggling over 200 tons of cocaine into the U.S.

Was Lichtman deterred?

Lichtman was not deterred. It was no easy task to undermine the moral credibility of a witness who has already admitted to trying to kill a fellow prison inmate with a cyanide-laced arepa, as well as supplying weapons to right-wing death squads, but little by little, the Jersey-born mouthpiece was closing the distance.

What was Chapo's fault?

It was also Chapo’s fault that the government had been able to crack the encryption system Jorge Milton had set up to defeat wire taps.

What is Don Simon's nickname?

However, as demonstrated by a scam to create a fund aimed at buying 7 million hectares of the Amazonian rain forest to create a carbon-free sanctuary for the region’s indigenous people (money collected went to companies owned by the Cifuentes-Villa clan), Jorge Milton was far more than just one more agrarian hoodlum. He was a world-class con man of seemingly endless resource and sophistication, which was shown by his choice of nickname, “don Simon,” an homage to Simon Templar, the elegant charmer played Roger Moore in the 1960’s TV series The Saint.

Was the Chapo trial a cover up?

The entire Chapo trial was a part of vast cover-up, Lichtman said. “This is a case that will require you to throw out much of what you were taught to believe in about the way governments work and how they behave, governments in South and Central American and Mexico and even the United States.”.

Why did El Chapo get a new trial?

A lawyer for Mexican drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera asked a federal appeals court in Manhattan on Monday to grant him a new trial, saying a media report of alleged juror misconduct was reason to overturn his conviction for running a narcotics empire.

Is Guzmán serving a life sentence?

Mr. Guzmán is currently serving a life sentence after a federal jury in Brooklyn found him guilty in 2019 of 10 criminal counts in connection with leading the Sinaloa drug cartel.

Who is El Chapo?

Joaquín Guzmán, the Mexican drug lord known as "El Chapo," was convicted by a U.S. jury in February 2019 of 10 criminal counts related to a range of federal crimes spanning nearly 30 years. Photo: U.S. law enforcement/AP

What color shirt did Guzman wear?

Guzman sat by in court Wednesday wearing a dark suit, a lavender shirt and an iridescent tie, CBS News producer Cassandra Gauthier reported. As he entered, he glanced at his wife, who was seated in the back of the courtroom.

What did the defense attorney describe the government's witnesses as?

The defense attorney also described the government's witnesses as liars seeking to mitigate their own jail sentences.

Who is the shorty in Spanish?

Despite his diminutive stature and nickname that means "Shorty" in Spanish, Guzman was once a larger-than-life figure in Mexico who has been compared to Al Capone and Robin Hood and been the subject of ballads known as narcocorridos.

Is Guzman in solitary confinement?

Guzman, who has been held in solitary confinement since his extradition to the United States early last year, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he amassed a multi-billion-dollar fortune smuggling tons of cocaine and other drugs in a vast supply chain that reached well north of the border.

Who dismissed the allegations against Enrique Pena Nieto?

A spokesman for Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto called the allegations "completely false and defamatory." Former President Felipe Calderon dismissed them as "absolutely false and reckless."

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