Publicly available news reports and official announcements from U.S. or Mexican authorities

Gulf Cartel Leader Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, Founder of Los Zetas, Released After 21 Years

Aug 30, 2024, 03:02 PM

Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, former leader of the Gulf Cartel and founder of Los Zetas, has been released from a U.S. prison after serving 21 years. He was incarcerated in Terre Haute, Indiana, and was initially sentenced in 2009 for charges including drug trafficking, money laundering, and threats against U.S. security agents. Cárdenas Guillén played a significant role in transforming Mexico's criminal landscape by recruiting special forces members to form Los Zetas, a paramilitary group that later became a powerful cartel. His release date was initially listed as August 30 by the BOP, but it later changed to 'unknown,' indicating he may have been released or transferred to another custody.