Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada, co-founder of El Chapo’s drug cartel, sentenced to life in U.S. prison

U.S. newsIsmael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada, co-founder of El Chapo’s drug cartel, sentenced to life in U.S. prisonZambada’s sentencing is the culmination of the U.S. government’s yearslong fight to bring the long-elusive Sinaloa cartel co-founder to justice.Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.GDA / AP fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleJuly 20, 2026, 9:46 AM EDT / Updated July 20, 2026, 3:25 PM EDTBy Chloe AtkinsNEW YORK — Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a founder of the Sinaloa cartel, was sentenced to life in prison in Brooklyn federal court, where he took responsibility in leading one of the world’s largest and most violent drug trafficking organizations. Subscribe to read this story ad-freeGet unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.His life sentence closes a yearslong effort by the federal government to take down the infamous cartel leader who eluded the reach of U.S. law enforcement for decades. Zambada was arrested in 2024 after he claimed that he was kidnapped in Mexico and flown to Texas. Along with a life sentence, he was also ordered to forfeit $15 billion, however prosecutors have yet to locate a bulk of the illicit profits.Dressed in tan prison garb, Zambada appeared expressionless while he sat at the defense table in court on Monday. Speaking through a Spanish-language interpreter, he apologized, saying, “I am not here to ask for compassion. I am here to take responsibility and to say I’m sorry — for the harm I caused and for the example I set.”“I grew up in an environment where violence and crime seemed normal, but now I know that’s no excuse,” said Zambada, who read from a prepared statement. “There comes a time when every person must take responsibility for their decisions. I didn’t, and many people paid the price.”For decades, Zambada and co-founder Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán built the Sinaloa cartel into a prolific criminal enterprise defined by violence and corruption, flooding the U.S. with tons of cocaine...