Federal prosecutors want to recover $12.6 billion in drug money they say was generated by the Mexican drug lord known as El Chapo.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn asked a judge Friday to order Joaquin Guzman (hwah-KEEN’ goos-MAHN’) to forfeit that massive sum.
They called the amount a “conservative” estimate of the cash Guzman’s Sinaloa Cartel earned distributing cocaine, heroin and marijuana in the United States.
Prosecutors pointed to weeks of testimony from drug suppliers who described the lucrative narcotics enterprise during Guzman’s trial.
They said the laundered proceeds covered payroll and the purchase of planes, submarines and other vehicles.
Guzman was convicted in February of murder conspiracy and drug trafficking. He faces life in prison.
An email seeking comment was sent to his attorney.
