From Cartel Ally to Key Informant: The Double Life of "Boliche"
Let me tell you a story that sounds like a Netflix series, but it’s all too real. We're talking about Jorge Luis Hernández Villazón, better known in the criminal underworld as “Boliche.” Just days ago, this powerful Colombian narco was captured in Miami by U.S. Marshals under serious federal charges. But the story goes far beyond just a drug arrest—this guy was deeply entangled with major figures in the criminal and political worlds, and his betrayal of one of the most notorious money men in Latin America, Álex Saab, is sending shockwaves through international courts.
Now, who exactly is this “Boliche”? A former close associate of José “El Ñene” Hernández—himself assassinated in Brazil in 2019—Boliche has long been part of Colombia’s murky criminal elite. His rap sheet includes suspected involvement in the murder of César Cura, a known associate of Pablo Escobar. According to investigators, Boliche turned on Cura and others to take over lucrative cocaine routes in Santa Marta. That’s the level he operated on.
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But what makes this man even more notorious is how he reinvented himself. Behind bars in the U.S., Boliche became a key informant. He didn’t just help authorities take down local thugs—he exposed Álex Saab, the Venezuelan businessman and top financial operator of Nicolás Maduro’s regime. Through secretly obtained recordings, Boliche revealed how confidential DEA data was being sold to Saab, helping him evade justice for years. That evidence led to the arrest of DEA insiders and shook the agency to its core.
Ironically, Boliche used his status as an informant to pull off an elaborate extortion scheme. He scammed several Dominican traffickers by promising favorable legal outcomes in exchange for large payments, then vanished. His betrayal didn’t stop there. He even scammed the widow of a cartel boss in Colombia, seizing property through fake negotiations. Authorities found encrypted phones, detailed financial ledgers, and a network of informants across the Caribbean coast. His fingerprints are on everything from paramilitary links to multi-ton drug shipments and fake peace deals.
Despite the chaos he caused, it was his role in sabotaging Saab’s inner circle that may be the most impactful. While imprisoned, Boliche posed as an ally of Saab’s legal team, claiming inside connections. He manipulated lawyers, gained trust, and recorded crucial conversations—evidence that blew the lid off one of the most guarded corruption pipelines between Caracas and Washington.
Today, Boliche awaits trial in a maximum-security prison in Miami, possibly facing decades behind bars. He’s seen by some as a traitor, by others as a hero informant. But no matter how you see him, one thing’s certain—Jorge Luis Hernández Villazón didn’t just survive the game. He mastered it. And then flipped the board over.
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