This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-46282173
The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán's trial: Nine crazy moments | |
| (14 days later) | |
| The trial of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán hasn't been short on details of the alleged drug cartel kingpin's colourful lifestyle. | The trial of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán hasn't been short on details of the alleged drug cartel kingpin's colourful lifestyle. |
| Here is some of the craziest evidence so far. | |
| Hi-tech murder room | |
| A trusted hitman for El Chapo kept a "murder room" in his mansion on the US border, which featured a drain on the floor to more easily clean up after slayings. | |
| Edgar Galvan testified in January that Antonio "Jaguar" Marrufo had a room with white tiles that was sound-proofed "so no noise comes out". | |
| "In that house, no one comes out," Galvan told jurors. | |
| Galvan said his role in the organisation was to smuggle weapons into the US, so that Marrufo could use them to "clear" the region of rivals. | |
| At the time, he was living in El Paso, Texas, while Marrufo was living in Ciudad Juarez, just across the US-Mexico border. | |
| But both men are now in jail on firearms and gun charges. | |
| Narco-mistresses | |
| El Chapo used his slew of mistresses to help further his narcotics operation - and his text history proves it, the FBI alleges. | |
| Thanks to the Flexi-spy software Mr Guzmán used to spy on his wife, Emma Coronel, and the women with whom he had affairs, the FBI was able to present his texts in court. | |
| Mr Guzmán and Ms Coronel fawned over their daughters in many texts, as parents do, but some had a distinctly El Chapo sensibility. | |
| In one sent on the twins' six month birthday, the New York Daily News reported, he said: "Our [daughter] is fearless, I'm going to give her an AK-47 so she can hang with me." | |
| Another damaging series of texts relayed how El Chapo fled a villa during a raid by US and Mexican officials. | |
| "I had to run out at three in the afternoon," Mr Guzmán told his wife. "I saw them pounding on the door next door, but I was able to jump out." | |
| He then reportedly asked her to bring him new clothes, shoes and black moustache dye. | |
| Mr Guzmán tracked around 50 people through phones and computers, according to El Chapo's ex-techie, Cristian Rodriguez. | |
| Mr Rodriguez told the court El Chapo frequently turned on his lovers' microphones after ending calls with them "to see what they would say about him", the Daily News reported. | |
| One of those lovers was Agustina Cabanillas Acosta, who allegedly helped El Chapo make deals across the region. | |
| In between sweet nothings, they discussed drug shipments and "non-stop" sales. | |
| The alleged kingpin also reportedly paid for Ms Acosta's liposuction. | |
| Ms Acosta, meanwhile, was well aware of her lover's snooping - "I'm way smarter than him," she reportedly texted her friends. | |
| Blinged-out weaponry | Blinged-out weaponry |
| El Chapo's reputed extravagance extended even to his extensive collection of weaponry, the trial has heard. | El Chapo's reputed extravagance extended even to his extensive collection of weaponry, the trial has heard. |
| Among his prized possessions were a diamond-encrusted, monogrammed pistol and a gold-plated AK-47. | Among his prized possessions were a diamond-encrusted, monogrammed pistol and a gold-plated AK-47. |
| Fatal handshake snub | Fatal handshake snub |
| Much of the evidence against the suspected narco chief has come from the prosecution's star witness, Jesús Zambada. | |
| Mr Zambada testified that the alleged drug kingpin had the brother of another cartel leader killed because he did not shake Mr Guzmán's hand. | Mr Zambada testified that the alleged drug kingpin had the brother of another cartel leader killed because he did not shake Mr Guzmán's hand. |
| Rodolfo Fuentes had met Mr Guzmán to make peace in a cartel and gang war, the court heard. | Rodolfo Fuentes had met Mr Guzmán to make peace in a cartel and gang war, the court heard. |
| "When [Rodolfo] left, Chapo gave him his hand and said, 'See you later, friend,' and Rodolfo just left him standing there with his hand extended," Mr Zambada said. | "When [Rodolfo] left, Chapo gave him his hand and said, 'See you later, friend,' and Rodolfo just left him standing there with his hand extended," Mr Zambada said. |
| Mr Fuentes and his wife were shot and killed outside a cinema soon afterwards. | Mr Fuentes and his wife were shot and killed outside a cinema soon afterwards. |
| Former Sinaloa lieutenant Miguel Angel Martinez also testified for the government, telling the jury he once asked El Chapo why he killed people. | |
| "And he answered me: 'Either your mom's going to cry or their mom's going to cry.'" | "And he answered me: 'Either your mom's going to cry or their mom's going to cry.'" |
| 328 million lines of coke | 328 million lines of coke |
| Assistant US Attorney Adam Fels said in his opening argument that El Chapo had sent "more than a line of cocaine for every single person in the United States" - in just four of his shipments. | Assistant US Attorney Adam Fels said in his opening argument that El Chapo had sent "more than a line of cocaine for every single person in the United States" - in just four of his shipments. |
| That amounts to over 328 million lines of cocaine, said the prosecutor. | That amounts to over 328 million lines of cocaine, said the prosecutor. |
| Mr Zambada said that once, in 1994, Mr Guzmán gave the order to sink a boat carrying 20 tonnes of cocaine to evade authorities. | Mr Zambada said that once, in 1994, Mr Guzmán gave the order to sink a boat carrying 20 tonnes of cocaine to evade authorities. |
| Bazooka target practice | Bazooka target practice |
| The court also heard that Mr Guzmán once used a bazooka for target practice - to relax on a family holiday. | The court also heard that Mr Guzmán once used a bazooka for target practice - to relax on a family holiday. |
| Mr Zambada said El Chapo took the anti-tank rocket launcher with him on a trip with relatives in 2005. | Mr Zambada said El Chapo took the anti-tank rocket launcher with him on a trip with relatives in 2005. |
| He decided to "test out" the weapon after the group had finished target practice with assault rifles, according to the witness. | He decided to "test out" the weapon after the group had finished target practice with assault rifles, according to the witness. |
| A $50m bribe fund | A $50m bribe fund |
| Some of the biggest news from testimony was how the Sinaloa cartel allegedly paid off a host of top Mexican officials to ensure their drug business ran smoothly. | Some of the biggest news from testimony was how the Sinaloa cartel allegedly paid off a host of top Mexican officials to ensure their drug business ran smoothly. |
| Mr Zambada said the traffickers had $50m (£39m) in protection money for former Mexican Secretary of Public Security García Luna, so that corrupt officers would be appointed to head police operations. | Mr Zambada said the traffickers had $50m (£39m) in protection money for former Mexican Secretary of Public Security García Luna, so that corrupt officers would be appointed to head police operations. |
| Mr Zambada said he gave the money to Mr Luna in briefcases full of cash. Mr Luna has denied the allegations. | Mr Zambada said he gave the money to Mr Luna in briefcases full of cash. Mr Luna has denied the allegations. |
| When former Mexico City Mayor Gabriel Regino was in line to become the next secretary of security, Mr Zambada says the cartel bribed him, too. | When former Mexico City Mayor Gabriel Regino was in line to become the next secretary of security, Mr Zambada says the cartel bribed him, too. |
| Mr Regino, who is now a professor, has also denied the claims. | Mr Regino, who is now a professor, has also denied the claims. |
| 'Narco-saint' at court | 'Narco-saint' at court |
| A 6in (15cm) figurine of a folk hero dubbed the narco-saint has been spotted on a shelf in a conference room used by the defendant's lawyers at the court, the New York Post reported. | A 6in (15cm) figurine of a folk hero dubbed the narco-saint has been spotted on a shelf in a conference room used by the defendant's lawyers at the court, the New York Post reported. |
| The statue of Jesús Malverde, which has him seated on a purple throne with bags of cash, appeared on Wednesday, one of El Chapo's lawyers told the newspaper. | The statue of Jesús Malverde, which has him seated on a purple throne with bags of cash, appeared on Wednesday, one of El Chapo's lawyers told the newspaper. |
| Jesús Malverde has been celebrated as a Robin Hood-type hero who, legend says, stole from the rich and gave to the poor in the early 1900s. | Jesús Malverde has been celebrated as a Robin Hood-type hero who, legend says, stole from the rich and gave to the poor in the early 1900s. |
| A private zoo | A private zoo |
| Mr Martinez told the court Mr Guzmán was so wealthy, he had a private zoo on top of his numerous properties - including a $10m (£8) beach house as well as a yacht he named after himself ("Chapito"). | Mr Martinez told the court Mr Guzmán was so wealthy, he had a private zoo on top of his numerous properties - including a $10m (£8) beach house as well as a yacht he named after himself ("Chapito"). |
| Built in the early '90s, El Chapo's zoo reportedly had lions, tigers, and crocodiles, as well as a little train to ferry guests through it. | Built in the early '90s, El Chapo's zoo reportedly had lions, tigers, and crocodiles, as well as a little train to ferry guests through it. |
| The property also had a house, pool and tennis courts nearby, Mr Martinez said. | The property also had a house, pool and tennis courts nearby, Mr Martinez said. |