You may have heard his name from shows, movies, and possibly even documentaries that air on news channels. Pablo Escobar was the wealthiest and most famous drug lord from 1976 to 1993, and to this day, he remains the wealthiest drug lord in history. Most people look at criminals like Escobar and see them as cold-hearted animals, but by analyzing a criminal’s mind, we are able to gain a new perspective on his deeds and how he became so successful. With an estimated IQ of 130, Escobar was objectively a genius; unfortunately, instead of changing the world for the better with his intelligence, he dedicated his life to illegal activities.

 It is important to realize that Pablo Escobar was no different than most people in the world, with all his flaws. He was born December 2, 1949, to a mother who was a teacher and a father who was a farmer. He lived a relatively normal life in Envigado, Colombia, a suburb of Medellín, but trouble started when he was a teenager. He began a life of crime, selling fake diplomas, smuggling stereo equipment, and stealing tombstones to resell. 

Over time, he created one of the most powerful cartels and smuggled illegal drugs where he was responsible for about 4,000 deaths; 80% of the world’s drug distribution led back to him. He made billions of dollars in narcotics and escaped a national prison surrounded by the national army by simply walking out the front door. After executing his “well” thought escape, he went on the run for five years until his 44th birthday, when he was shot while trying to escape from the top of his apartment roof. Escobar will go down in history as one of the most notorious criminals of the 20th century.