Olof Kyros Gustafsson, 32, the Swedish chief executive of Escobar Inc, has been sentenced to four years in federal prison in Los Angeles for an international fraud scheme that sold Pablo Escobar-branded goods that never arrived.
Gustafsson, also known by the nickname El Silencio, used semi-naked women to advertise products such as an "Escobar Flamethrower", gold foldable smartphones and a physical cryptocurrency called "Escobar Cash" between 2019 and 2023, priced far below normal market levels.
Scam relied on drug lord's notoriety
He registered Escobar Inc in Puerto Rico and held successor-in-interest rights to the persona of Pablo Escobar, the head of the Medellin Cartel who was killed in 1993. Buyers who paid for the goods online never received them; instead, some were sent a "Certificate of Ownership" or promotional books when they demanded refunds.
To build demand, Gustafsson also sent foil-wrapped Samsung Galaxy flip phones to tech reviewers. The scheme is said to have brought in a $1.3 million fortune.
YouTuber highlighted the scam
Some suspicious recipients quickly noticed red flags, and YouTuber Marques Brownlee highlighted the fraud in a video posted in 2024. "Those people were getting scammed out of their money," he said. "Honestly, in hindsight, I don’t know how they thought they were gonna get away with this."
Brownlee then claimed he was visited by the FBI, who asked for the phone and communications he had had with Escobar Inc.
Extradition and sentencing
Gustafsson was extradited from Spain in 2023 back to the US and has been in federal custody since March 2025. He pleaded guilty in July 2025 to charges including fraud and money laundering. The alleged laundering involved bank accounts in the United States, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates.
In a statement, the US Attorney's Office said: "A Swedish national who licensed the rights of the late Colombian narco-terrorist Pablo Escobar was sentenced today to 48 months in federal prison for defrauding investors by marketing and selling products – including flamethrowers and cellphones – that he never delivered. Olof Kyros Gustafsson, 32, a.k.a. \"El Silencio,\" was sentenced by United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha, who also fined him $25,000, and ordered him to pay $1,300,193 in restitution. Gustafsson has agreed to forfeit funds that were proceeds of the fraud schemes, including money currently held in a bank account in Sweden."
