What happened to the members of the Zambada family?
Vicente Zambada Niebla “Vicentillo”
He is the first-born son of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and one of the main operators of the criminal organization to which his family belonged.
In 2009, “El Vicentillo” was arrested by Mexican authorities and extradited to the United States in 2010. In 2013, El Mayo Zambada’s son pleaded guilty to participating in drug trafficking activities as part of the Sinaloa Cartel, as part of an agreement to provide relevant information about the operation of the criminal organization.
Vicente Zambada Niebla admitted to having participated in the importation and distribution of cocaine in Mexico and the United States, even providing information that helped the authorities in that country to have solid elements to prosecute various drug trafficking leaders, including Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
In exchange for his cooperation in 2019, “Vicentillo” was sentenced to 15 years in prison with the possibility of a further reduction in his sentence.
Serafin Zambada Ortiz
He is another of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada’s sons and was considered a high-ranking member of the Pacific Cartel. He showed his life of extravagance and eccentricities on social media, where he even posted photos with wads of cash, watches, motorcycles and high-end cars.
He was arrested in November 2013 at the border crossing in Nogales, Arizona, and brought before a judge in San Diego, California, because he was wanted by an authority for smuggling cocaine and marijuana between Mexico and the United States.
In 2014 he pleaded guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy charges and, as part of a deal of guiltSerafín Zambada Ortiz cooperated with U.S. authorities to provide information on the operation of the Sinaloa Cartel. He was sentenced to 66 months in prison and released in 2019.
Ismael Zambada Imperial “Mayito Gordo”
He was arrested by Navy personnel in Culiacán, Sinaloa in November 2014 and was transferred to a prison in Tepic, Nayarit, and transferred in 2019 to the United States, where he cooperated with authorities in that country, for which he was released in 2022.
In 2023, he was even photographed with his partner during a visit to the SeaWorld park in San Diego, California.
Jesus Zambada “The King”
He is the brother of “El Mayo” Zambada. He was arrested in 2008 and extradited to the United States in 2012.
He was one of the key witnesses in the trials of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán and former Public Security Secretary Genaro García Luna, which led to benefits in his conviction and even entry into the United States’ protected witness program.
In 2023, “King” Zambada reappeared in an interview where he assured that authorities recommended him to take care of himself at the time because there was a rumor that Genaro García Luna wanted to kill him.
Members of the Zambada family have cooperated with U.S. authorities. Based on their statements, prosecutors and judges in that country have managed to consolidate their investigations against other drug lords and even high-level officials in Mexico, such as Genaro García Luna, former Secretary of Public Security in the government of former PAN President Felipe Calderón.
