Jorge Luis Hernández Villazón, also known by his alias “Boliche,” has recently been apprehended and is now held in a high-security federal prison in central Miami, renowned for its stringent conditions. He faces a trial that could result in a sentence of up to 20 years for extortion, fraud, and connections to international drug trafficking networks.
The investigation against him commenced when six Dominican drug traffickers reported him for allegedly charging large sums of money for false assurances of legal assistance, including possibilities of house arrest. After these traffickers were captured, they formally accused him of failing to deliver on these claims.
The FBI had been tracking “Boliche” for over five years, utilizing wiretaps, surveillance, photographs, and documentation that form part of the current judicial case against him. His residence yielded handwritten notes containing figures, names, and financial details that implicate him in multiple extortion activities.
Victims of his fraudulent schemes include the widow of “Toyo Curiche,” the former leader of the Los Curicheros gang. Following his death, “Boliche” and his network managed to seize a million-dollar apartment in Santa Marta under false pretenses relating to Curiche’s estate.
His mobile phone contained contacts from a network of informants across various cities along Colombia’s Caribbean coast, such as Riohacha and Barranquilla. Some of these contacts even traveled to Miami with encrypted devices that held crucial information about drug trafficking routes and clandestine operations.
In the upcoming trial, the six Dominican traffickers are expected to serve as key witnesses against him. The prosecution argues that “Boliche” exploited his role as a government informant to gain the trust of others, subsequently engaging in deceitful and coercive practices for financial gain. This case stands as a notable example of how certain criminals attempt to manipulate the judicial system through the fraudulent use of sensitive information, all while compromising others under the guise of cooperating with authorities.
Hernández Villazón has become a notorious figure within Colombia’s organized crime. His criminal activities began in the 1990s in Venezuela, where he dealt in stolen vehicles with forged documents. His rise involved extorting debts from criminal networks and collaborating with paramilitary groups. Despite his rapid ascent in the narcotics trade, he experienced a swift downfall, suffering setbacks in cocaine shipments and alienating allies. It was noted that he narrowly escaped assassination orders from notorious figures in the underworld, later turning informant against them.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the complexities within criminal enterprises and the repercussions when trust is violated. There’s potential for change as law enforcement continues to dismantle such networks, emphasizing the importance of cooperation and integrity within the justice system.