Drug lord El Chapo to foray into fashion with clothing line

Notorious drug lord El Chapo, who was convicted last month, is foraying into the world of fashion with his own clothing line, slated for release this summer.

Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman, signed a contract from his cell in a Manhattan federal prison recently, which grants the rights to his name and signature to a limited liability company (LLC) headed by his wife and former beauty queen, Emma Coronel, reports CNN. The company, under which the clothing line will be launched, is officially named El Chapo Guzman-JGL LLC.

He was convicted on drug-related charges last month after a three-month-long trial. Guzman was found guilty on all 10 criminal counts- including those on money laundering and distribution of narcotics like heroin-against him by a US federal court in February. The 61-year-old Mexican drug lord gained notoriety as the head of the infamous, murderous Sinaloa cartel for several years and is known to have escaped prison several times.

“I’m very excited to start this project, which was based on ideas and concepts that my husband and I had years ago. It is a project dedicated to our daughters,” Coronel told CNN.

However, Guzman will not receive a single penny from his latest, legitimate enterprise, according to one of his attorneys Michael Lambert.

“He wanted to be able to set something up-a legitimate enterprise-for the benefit of his wife and his two daughters. He loves his wife and he loves his daughters, and he wants to prepare for the future,” Lambert said.

The designs for the line are “already in progress,” according to Guzman’s attorney Mariel Colon Miro. The merchandise will include baseball caps, T-shirts, jean jackets, sweatshirts, and phone cases.

“It’s very important for Emma and for the board of the company that it stays as much as possible in Mexico to help the Mexican economy and create more opportunities and work,” he added.

Under Guzman, the Sinaloa cartel smuggled hundreds of tonnes of narcotics to wholesale distributors in Arizona, Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York.

He was believed to have used hitmen to carry out murders, kidnappings, and assaults on international political leaders and rivals.

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First Published: Mar 31, 2019 12:39 IST