LOS ANGELES, CA — The CEO of a company that owned the rights to Pablo Escobar’s name and likeness has been arrested and extradited to the U.S. to face a slew of criminal charges, including fraud and money laundering. Olaf Kyros Gustafsson, 31, also known as “El Silencio,” is a Swedish national and the founder of Escobar Inc., a Puerto Rico-based corporation that marketed products using the notorious Colombian drug lord’s persona.
From July 2019 to November 2023, Gustafsson allegedly used Escobar’s name to promote and sell various products, including an Escobar Flamethrower, Escobar Fold Phone, and Escobar Gold 11 Pro Phone, among others. These items, marketed at a significantly lower price than similar products, were never actually delivered to customers.
Instead of sending the advertised products, Gustafsson allegedly mailed items like “crudely made samples” of Escobar-branded items to tech reviewers and influencers to generate buzz. He also sent customers Certificates of Ownership or promotional materials to falsely confirm shipment.
Court documents reveal that Gustafsson received payments for these non-existent products through online payment platforms such as PayPal, Stripe, and Coinbase. When customers requested refunds after not receiving their items, he allegedly used fake shipping receipts to deny their requests.
In addition to his fraudulent sales, Gustafsson reportedly opened several bank accounts across the U.S., Sweden, and the UAE to launder money from the scheme. He faces a total of 115 criminal counts, including 41 counts of money laundering, 35 counts of international money laundering, 9 counts of wire fraud, and 3 counts of mail fraud.
Gustafsson was arrested in Spain in December 2023 and extradited to Los Angeles on March 28, 2025. He pleaded not guilty to all charges in U.S. District Court on Friday, with a trial date set for May 20. He remains in federal custody.