Fabio Ochoa Restrepo

Fabio Ochoa Restrepo
Born	1923
Died	2002 Medellin, Colombia
Nationality	Colombian
Other names	Don Fabio
Citizenship	Colombian
Occupation	Horse rancher, criminal
Spouse(s)	Margarita de Ochoa
Children	Juan David Ochoa Vásquez Jorge Luis Ochoa Vásquez Fabio Ochoa Vásquez

Fabio Ochoa Restrepo ("Don Fabio" 1923–2002) was a Paso Fino enthusiast, rancher, businessman, and patriarch of a notorious Colombian crime family associated with the Medellín drug cartel of Pablo Escobar. Insiders have called him the true godfather of the Medellín Cartel.

Ochoa kept many ranches near Medellín, raised more than a thousand thoroughbreds and was a successful businessman. Because most of his wealth did not come from criminal activities, it is often assumed that Ochoa himself was not linked to drug trafficking, although his sons are well known for their involvement in the trade.Jorge Luis Ochoa, was at one time considered the number two leader in the Medellin cartel; in 1996 he was arrested from a five-year prison sentence in Colombia. Fabio Ochoa Vázquez "Fabito" (b. 1957) was extradited to the United States in September 2001.

In his autobiography, 'My Life in the World of Horses,' published by a vanity press, Mr. Ochoa writes of himself: 'Don Fabio is to Colombia's Horse world what Garcia Marquez is to Colombia's world of letters or what Fernando Botero is to Colombia's world of painting." A 1989 picture of Fabio Ochoa Restrepo shows him signing his book which he planned to send to the Pope.

In 1984, Fabio, Sr. was arrested by the Colombian government as part of a widespread crackdown on narcotrafficantes. The effort was spurred by the motorcycle assassination of Minister of Justice Rodrigo Lara Bonilla, who, by arguing vociferously in favor of extraditing drug violators to the US, was one of the most vocal politicians to consistently challenge the Medellín Cartel. Fabio, Sr. was released due to lack of evidence.

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Wikipedia