Founder of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel 'El Mayo' enters guilty plea

August 25, 2025

Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, founder of the Sinaloa Cartel and one of Mexico's most notorious drug lords, has pleaded guilty to drug smuggling and conspiracy charges in a New York court. After initially pleading not guilty, the 77-year-old kingpin changed his plea, acknowledging his role in creating a vast criminal network that transported enormous quantities of drugs into the United States since the late 1980s. Zambada was arrested in Texas in 2023 following a deception by the sons of his former ally, Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, after which he claimed he was ambushed and forcibly transported to the United States.

Who is affected

Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada himself
The Sinaloa Cartel organization
Rival faction "Los Chapitos" led by El Chapo's sons
People in the United States and Mexico harmed by illegal drugs
Mexican police, military commanders, and politicians who allegedly received bribes
Residents of Sinaloa state where conflict between cartel factions continues

What action is being taken

Zambada is changing his plea from not guilty to guilty for two drug smuggling and conspiracy charges
Zambada is apologizing for his actions and taking responsibility through a Spanish-language interpreter
US prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty against Zambada
Ongoing conflict between the two Sinaloa Cartel factions continues to rage in Sinaloa state
The Guzmán sons (Joaquín and Ovidio) are negotiating plea bargains with the US government

Why it matters

Zambada was the founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, described as the biggest and most powerful criminal organization in Mexico with global reach
His guilty plea officially acknowledges his role in creating a vast criminal network that transported huge amounts of drugs into the US since the late 1980s
As stated by US Attorney General Pam Bondi, "El Mayo will spend the rest of his life behind bars" in a US federal prison
Zambada was reportedly "the most powerful drug lord in the world" at his height
His plea brings an end to one of the longest and most notorious criminal careers in organized crime history
He had successfully evaded arrest or capture for five decades while overseeing a sophisticated global drug trafficking network

What's next

Zambada is due to be sentenced in January 2026

Read full article from source: BBC