It has been revealed that the estate of Griselda Blanco are planning to sue Sofia Vergara and Netflix over the upcoming biographical series about the drug boss.
Griselda, which is pegged for global release on the service on 25 January, sees the actress, 51, depict the life and crimes of the ruthless Colombian boss, who created one of the most profitable cartels in history before her assassination in 2012.
The career criminal, who was only five feet tall, was involved with pickpocketing and prostitution from a young age – but it didn’t take long before her crimes began to escalate as she rose to infamous prominence in the crime world.
Having been plunged into the cocaine industry by her second husband, who she later killed, Griselda built a thriving drugs empire that saw her earning more than a staggering $80million every month.
So who was the formidable Griselda – the woman known as The Black Widow, The Godmother Of Cocaine and The Boss?
![From Thief and Prostitute to $80 Million a Month: The True Story of Griselda Blanco, as Her Estate Takes Legal Action Against Sofia Vergara and Netflix 1 Griselda Blanco, who was only five feet tall, was involved with pickpocketing and prostitution from a young age - but it didn't take long before her crimes began to escalate](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/09/15/18/75400309-12515183-Griselda_Blanco_who_was_only_five_feet_tall_was_involved_with_pi-a-22_1694797331443.jpg)
Griselda Blanco, who was only five feet tall, was involved with pickpocketing and prostitution from a young age – but it didn’t take long before her crimes began to escalate
![From Thief and Prostitute to $80 Million a Month: The True Story of Griselda Blanco, as Her Estate Takes Legal Action Against Sofia Vergara and Netflix 3 Sofia Vergara is set to bring the staggering crimes of the female drug baron to life in an upcoming Netflix drama (pictured)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/09/15/18/75400185-12515183-Sofia_Vergara_is_set_to_bring_the_staggering_crimes_of_the_femal-a-20_1694797325628.jpg)
Sofia Vergara is set to bring the staggering crimes of the female drug baron to life in an upcoming Netflix drama (pictured)
![From Thief and Prostitute to $80 Million a Month: The True Story of Griselda Blanco, as Her Estate Takes Legal Action Against Sofia Vergara and Netflix 5 Netflix is now gearing up to release its six-part drama that will explore ' Blanco's lethal blend of unsuspected savagery and charm helped her expertly navigate between business and family](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/09/16/18/75400277-12515183-Netflix_is_now_gearing_up_to_release_its_six_part_drama_that_wil-a-2_1694884122103.jpg)
Netflix is now gearing up to release its six-part drama that will explore ‘ Blanco’s lethal blend of unsuspected savagery and charm helped her expertly navigate between business and family
![From Thief and Prostitute to $80 Million a Month: The True Story of Griselda Blanco, as Her Estate Takes Legal Action Against Sofia Vergara and Netflix 7 It was claimed that Griselda got caught up on a path of pickpocketing and prostitution with rumors even circulating that she helped kidnap a small boy when she was just 11 years old](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/09/15/18/75403425-12515183-It_was_claimed_that_Griselda_got_caught_up_on_a_path_of_pickpock-a-19_1694797325627.jpg)
It was claimed that Griselda got caught up on a path of pickpocketing and prostitution with rumors even circulating that she helped kidnap a small boy when she was just 11 years old
Griselda was forced into pickpocketing and prostitution from a young age before her crimes drastically escalated
Griselda Blanco, who was born in Santa Marta, Colombia, grew up in poverty and the lack of money forced her into a life of crime from an early age.
It was claimed that she got caught up on a path of pickpocketing and prostitution with rumors even circulating that she helped kidnap a small boy when she was just 11 years old.
The tale states that she then took it upon herself to fatally shoot the boy after his wealthy parents refused to pay the ransom.
She went on to marry a small-time criminal when she was still a teen and the couple went on to have three children together.
The pair later divorced and she is said to have ordered her ex-husband’s murder in the wake of their split.
But she went on to find love again with drug trafficker Alberto Bravo who soon got her caught up in the cocaine industry.
The couple used New York as their base as they smuggled drugs into the US – and Griselda appeared to have a knack for it.
She used every trick in the book to ensure a profitable trade and her methods even included having lingerie made with secret compartments to hide drugs in.
But it was not all plain sailing.
Griselda soon found herself facing drugs charges and so fled to Columbia in 1975 to avoid US authorities.
Later that year, she began to suspect that Bravo was stealing money from her and the pair got caught up in a shoot out that resulted in his death.
Little detail is known about her third husband but he was also reportedly killed by her hand – earning her the Black Widow moniker.
![From Thief and Prostitute to $80 Million a Month: The True Story of Griselda Blanco, as Her Estate Takes Legal Action Against Sofia Vergara and Netflix 9 Griselda had four sons Michael, Osvaldo, Uber and Dixon (pictured together) but was nicknamed the Black Widow](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/09/16/18/75403419-12515183-Griselda_had_four_sons_Michael_Osvaldo_Uber_and_Dixon_pictured_t-a-1_1694884122096.jpg)
Griselda had four sons Michael, Osvaldo, Uber and Dixon (pictured together) but was nicknamed the Black Widow
The drugs baron started earning more than $80 million EVERY month – and was not afraid to flaunt it
By the late 1970s, Griselda had moved to back to the US and settled in Miami where she continued trading and became known as The Godmother of Cocaine.
She became increasingly protective of her illicit empire and sought to eliminate any competition by whatever means necessary.
Reflecting on the case in 1993, The Drug Enforcement Administration said: ‘Griselda loved killings. Bodies lined the streets of Miami as a result of her feuds.
‘She gathered around her a group of henchmen known as the Pistoleros. Initiation into the group was earned by killing someone and cutting off a body part as proof of the deed…
‘She not only killed rivals and wayward lovers, but used murder as a means of cancelling debts she didn’t want to pay. A particularly bloody massacre that took place in July 1979 in a Miami shopping center became known as the Dadeland Massacre.’
![From Thief and Prostitute to $80 Million a Month: The True Story of Griselda Blanco, as Her Estate Takes Legal Action Against Sofia Vergara and Netflix 11 She also lived up to her persona as she even named her son Michael Corleone - after the crime boss in The Godfather film series with the first installment released in 1972](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/09/15/18/75400283-12515183-She_also_lived_up_to_her_persona_as_she_even_named_her_son_Micha-a-18_1694797325626.jpg)
She also lived up to her persona as she even named her son Michael Corleone – after the crime boss in The Godfather film series with the first installment released in 1972
And, as a result, the drugs baron is believed to have been responsible for more than 200 deaths – usually carried out in broad daylight by gunmen on motorcycles.
The ruthless violence escalated in the area and plunged the state into an unsettled period coined as the ‘Cocaine Cowboy Wars’.
But all the volatility ultimately worked in Griselda’s favor.
As she continued to remove her competition from the market, she became one of the wealthiest drug traffickers in the world.
She smuggled more than three tons of cocaine into America every year and raked in more than $80 million per month, according to reports.
And the criminal mastermind did not shy away from outwardly splashing the cash, reportedly shelling out on luxury homes and hedonistic parties.
She also brazenly named her son Michael Corleone – after the crime boss in The Godfather film series with the first installment released in 1972.
![From Thief and Prostitute to $80 Million a Month: The True Story of Griselda Blanco, as Her Estate Takes Legal Action Against Sofia Vergara and Netflix 13 Griselda Blanco, who was born in Santa Marta, Colombia, grew up in poverty and the lack of money forced her into a life of crime from an early age](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/09/16/13/75400287-12515183-Griselda_Blanco_who_was_born_in_Santa_Marta_Colombia_grew_up_in_-a-4_1694866470063.jpg)
Griselda Blanco, who was born in Santa Marta, Colombia, grew up in poverty and the lack of money forced her into a life of crime from an early age
Griselda’s empire began to crumble before she was shot dead aged 69
Business began to take a downturn after Griselda was found guilty of drugs charges in 1985 and incarcerated.
She received the maximum sentence of 15 years but was still able to run her empire from behind bars.
However, the conviction spurred authorities to attempt to press additional charges against the career criminal – including more than 200 murders.
By 1994, one of her former hitmen – Jorge Ayala – agreed to testify against her and Griselda was charged with three murders.
One of them was that of a two-year-old boy who was fatally shot during a failed assassination attempt of his father – who was one of Griselda’s former enforcers.
The investigation stalled but the drug baron decided to plead guilty in 1998 in a bid to reduce her sentence.
Following her release after 10 years in prison, she was deported to Colombia where she is said to have ‘retired’ from her life of crime.
But it appeared her past caught up with her and, in 2012, Griselda was shot and killed as she stepped out of a butcher shop in Medellin aged 69.
She still ranks among the most notorious drug lords in history and has been a central figure in documentaries such Cocaine Cowboys (2006) and Cocaine Cowboys 2: Hustlin’ with the Godmother (2008) – as well as film The Cocaine Godmother (2017) starring Catherine Zeta Jones.
![From Thief and Prostitute to $80 Million a Month: The True Story of Griselda Blanco, as Her Estate Takes Legal Action Against Sofia Vergara and Netflix 15 Business began to take a downturn after Griselda was found guilty of drugs charges in 1985 and incarcerated](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/09/15/18/75400285-12515183-Business_began_to_take_a_downturn_after_Griselda_was_found_guilt-a-25_1694797335969.jpg)
Business began to take a downturn after Griselda was found guilty of drugs charges in 1985 and incarcerated
NETFLIX BEEF
Griselda embraced her criminal persona and was not afraid to flaunt her ill-gotten gains, making her an icon in the world of crime.
But things began to unravel after she was incarcerated as authorities sought to press charges against the devoted mother for more than 200 murders.
Griselda went on to serve 10 years behind bars before being deported back to Colombia where she was shot and killed at 69 as she stepped out of a butchers.
Netflix is now gearing up to release its six-part drama that will explore how ‘Blanco’s lethal blend of unsuspected savagery and charm helped her expertly navigate between business and family’.
While crime fans have been voicing their excitement, her family are less than pleased, as Modern Family star Sofia is being sued by her estate who want to block the new Netflix series over its alleged ‘unauthorized use of their family’s likeness.’
Sofia who was slammed by the son of ‘Cocaine Godmother’ Blanco, stars in the series, which tells the story of how Blanco’s legendary reign paved the way for the most infamous Colombian cartel.
A lawsuit obtained by TMZ and launched by Blanco’s adult kids acting as representatives for her estate, names Vergara as a defendant and Netflix – with the estate suing both parties over what they claim is the unauthorized use of their family’s image and likeness in this upcoming series.
The series is set for release on January 25 – but the family are trying to block its release and have asked a judge for an injunction.
Giselda’s son Michael Corleone Blanco claims he has been doing interviews for years to try and get his and his mother’s life story on paper in the hopes of developing into a production.
Netflix’s Griselda is released on 25 January 2024.
![From Thief and Prostitute to $80 Million a Month: The True Story of Griselda Blanco, as Her Estate Takes Legal Action Against Sofia Vergara and Netflix 17 While crime fans have been voicing their excitement, her family are less than pleased, as Modern Family star Sofia is being sued by her estate who want to block the new Netflix series over its alleged 'unauthorized use of their family's likeness'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/22/12/80229663-0-Sofia_Vergara_is_being_sued_by_Griselda_Blanco_s_estate_who_want-a-1_1705925414404.jpg)
While crime fans have been voicing their excitement, her family are less than pleased, as Modern Family star Sofia is being sued by her estate who want to block the new Netflix series over its alleged ‘unauthorized use of their family’s likeness’
![From Thief and Prostitute to $80 Million a Month: The True Story of Griselda Blanco, as Her Estate Takes Legal Action Against Sofia Vergara and Netflix 19 A lawsuit obtained by TMZ and launched by Blanco's adult kids acting as representatives for her estate, names Vergara as a defendant and Netflix - with the estate suing both parties over what they claim is the unauthorized use of their family's image and likeness in this upcoming series (pictured Michael Corleone Blanco - Griselda's son)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/22/12/78928621-0-A_lawsuit_obtained_by_TMZ_and_launched_by_Blanco_s_adult_kids_ac-a-2_1705925429955.jpg)
A lawsuit obtained by TMZ and launched by Blanco’s adult kids acting as representatives for her estate, names Vergara as a defendant and Netflix – with the estate suing both parties over what they claim is the unauthorized use of their family’s image and likeness in this upcoming series (pictured Michael Corleone Blanco – Griselda’s son)