On Monday, the lawyer for Mexican drug trafficker Ismael Zambada García filed a 12-page memorandum in a Brooklyn federal court that, for the first time, lays bare the private life of “El Mayo”: his exact date of birth, how and when he entered the drug trade, how many women he was with, and how many children he fathered throughout his life.
The document, signed by Frank Pérez and addressed to Judge Brian M. Cogan, reveals previously unconfirmed details about the Sinaloa Cartel co-founder, who, at age 76, is facing a potential life sentence. Among these details is one that no one expected.
The document confirms that Zambada García has 16 children—double the number of offspring whose names are publicly known. The defense also details the age range of his children: from the eldest, aged 55, to the youngest, just 6 years old.
The letter submitted to the court describes how Zambada García was born on January 30, 1950, into a farming family in Sinaloa. He began working in childhood and became responsible for supporting his family after his father’s death when he was only 12 years old.
