EntertainmentTVCrime ShowsGriseldaMeet the real Griselda Blanco: The true story behind Netflix’s newest crime dramaWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
EntertainmentTVCrime ShowsGriseldaMeet the real Griselda Blanco: The true story behind Netflix’s newest crime dramaWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Netflix)
Spoilers for the Griselda series follow
Who was Griselda Blanco?
(Image credit: Netflix)
Griselda Blanco was one of the most notorious drug lords in American history, prominent in the cocaine underworld of Miami. At her peak she made tens of millions of dollars per month, developing a reputation as the ‘Cocaine Godmother’. It is said that she is responsible for ordering over 250 deaths, and is thought to have been part of Pablo Escobar’s Medellín Cartel.
Born in 1943 in Colombia, Blanco was exposed to a life of crime at an early age after moving to the country’s cartel capital Medellín. At just 11 years old she allegedly committed her first murder when she kidnapped a child, held him for ransom, and eventually shot him. At 19 years old she ran away from home to escape abuse from her stepfather and relied on her criminal activity to support herself. It is also speculated that she resorted to prostitution during this time.
After marrying her first husband Carlos Trujillo, and giving birth to three sons all before the age of 21, she began a relationship with drug trafficker Alberto Bravo whom she later married. It was through Bravo that she started her career in the cocaine trade. In 1964, the pair illegally immigrated to New York with her three children, setting up a thriving drug chain before returning to Colombia in 1975, escaping drug conspiracy charges. It wasn’t until the late 1970s that Blanco returned to the US after killing Alberto and started her own drug empire in Miami. This is the point in Griselda’s life that the Netflix drama hones in on.
Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter
Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox
How much of Netflix’s Griselda is true?
(Image credit: Netflix)
Netflix’s Griselda timeline begins with Blanco and her sons fleeing to Miami after she allegedly killed her husband Alberto. In the series, she kills her husband because he forces her to have sex with his brother, but really it is said that Blanco shot Bravo due to him stealing millions from the business.
Toward the end of the six-part series, we see Griselda fall into addiction and act out in paranoid drug-fueled bouts of rage. As highlighted in the show, Blanco would force men and women to have sex at gunpoint. But her barbarity was so much worse in real life. She would allegedly host debauched orgies at her mansion, and at one point had eight strippers killed over fear they had slept with her then-husband Darío Sepúlveda.
The series ends with Griselda running away to California before her arrest. This is true, as in 1985 DEA agent Bob Palumbo finally apprehended her and she was charged with conspiring to manufacture, import, and distribute cocaine. She was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
What happened to Griselda’s sons?
(Image credit: Netflix)
From her first marriage with Carlo Trujillo, Griselda gave birth to her three eldest sons - Dixon Dario Trujillo-Blanco, Uber Trujillo-Blanco, and Osvaldo (Ozzy) Trujillo-Blanco - all before the age of 21. From a young age, all three of her sons were around crime and the illegal drug industry, so much so they ended up becoming drug traffickers and suppliers themselves. At one point in Griselda’s career, Dixon, Uber, and Ozzy were running the family drug business in San Francisco, moving around 660 pounds of cocaine every month.
After Griselda’s demise, Uber fell out of the spotlight and has been unheard of ever since, even his death is unknown. Dixon and Ozzy worked in the drug trade and were even imprisoned at one point until they were both assassinated in Columbia for unknown reasons.
Michael is Griselda Blanco’s only living son, although it is said he has survived several attempts on his life over the years. He is now married and has children of his own, and has turned his back on the cartel life. In recent times he has become somewhat of an internet personality forming his own lifestyle brand, Pure Blanco, and is currently in the process of writing a book about his mother.
Meet the Griselda cast - who do they play?
(Image credit: Netflix)
Sofía Vergara - Griselda(AKA Cocaine Godmother) - Griselda was one of the most prolific female drug lords in American history.
Juliana Aidén Martinez - June Hawkins- During the time of Griselda’s rampage, June worked in Miami PD’s homicide department and helped bring down the drug lord. Now 73 years old, Hawkins lives happily in Nashville with her husband.
Alberto Guerra - Darío Sepúlveda- Griselda’s third husband and the father of her youngest son, Michael. Drug trafficker and assassin Sepúlveda was first sent from Columbia to Miami to kill Griselda, but they fell in love and got married instead.
Martín Rodríguez-Rivi- Formally a lieutenant for one of her rivals, Rivi ended up becoming Griselda’s right-hand man, allegedly committing many murders on her behalf.
Vanessa Ferlito - Carmen Gutiérrez- A former drug trafficker in New York, Carmen was one of Griselda’s close friends in Miami and ran an independent travel agency in the city.
Fredy Yate - Chucho Castro- Chucho met Griselda in Miami and ended up working for her for years until the queenpin had a hit put on him for kicking her son. The bullet missed and hit Castro’s two-year-old son killing him.
José Zúñiga - Rafael Rodriguez(AKA Amilcar) - Amilcar was a Venezuelan drug trafficker operating in Miami and was the most prominent dealer at the time when Griselda Blanco arrived in the city.
Orlando Pineda - Dixon Trujillo-Blanco- Griselda’s oldest son from her first marriage. Dixon later became involved in drug trafficking himself before he was murdered.
Jose Velazquez - Uber Trujillo-Blanco- Griselda’s middle-born son from her first marriage. Uber fell out of the spotlight after his mother’s demise leaving very little trace.
Martín Fajardo - Osvaldo Trujillo-Blanco(AKA Ozzy) - Griselda’s youngest son from her first marriage. Like Dixon, Ozzy also became a drug trafficker and supplier until his murder.
Christian Tappan - Arturo Mesa- Griselda and her second husband Alberto’s accountant in Medellin, who allegedly helped Blanco smuggle drugs into Miami.
Camilo Jiménez Varón - Rafael Cardona Salazar(AKA Rafa) - Representative of the Colombian Medellin Cartel in the US and helped traffic mass amounts of drugs from Latin America to the States. He was also married to Marta Ochoa of the infamous Ochoa cartel family.
Alberto Ammann - Alberto Bravo- A Colombian drug trafficker and Griselda’s second husband. He and the queenpin began smuggling drugs into the States and dealing out of Queens, New York. Griselda allegedly later murdered Alberto in Colombia over money.
Is Griselda connected to Narcos?
(Image credit: Netflix)
Set in the mid-1970s,Narcos depicts the rise of Escobar, the most famous drug lord of all time. In the series, we see the kingpin set up the Medellin Cartel alongside the Ochoa brothers and other rising Colombian drug lords. The Ochoa family appears again in Griselda with Narcos’ Fabio Ochoa Vásquez, an original leading member of the Medellin cartel, making a deal with Blanco, and his little sister Marta Ochoa, who is married to one of Blanco’s associates, later befriending Griselda.
Probably the biggest similarity between the two Netflix originals is the fact that they both retell the lives of infamous criminals that are sometimes idealized in media. Despite the makers’ intentions, there’s always the risk that cartel crime shows glamorize the lifestyle and activities of drug lords, but in fact, the adaptations are bringing light to an underreported side of drug culture that many of us didn’t know about before.
Blanco may be shown as a devoted mother leading a lavish lifestyle in the series, but her actions and downfall depict the brutality, greed, and general ugliness of the narcotics underworld and are ultimately a lesson of what happens to criminals involved in the drug trade. Their lives end in prison or with a bloody death.
Griselda is available to stream on Netflix right now. For more check out our guide to thebest Netflix shows, or see our list ofupcoming TV showsheading your way in 2024.
CATEGORIESNetflixStreaming Services
CATEGORIES
More about crime showsEddie Redmayne reveals the big differences between The Day of the Jackal TV series and the best-selling thriller novelBond star Lashana Lynch explains why she was “actually quite happy” not to work closely with Eddie Redmayne in new cat-and-mouse thriller The Day of the JackalLatest26 years later, Codemasters' Chris Southall talks Colin McRae Rally: “We wanted to do something that was an authentic rally experience for the hardware of the time"See more latest►
More about crime showsEddie Redmayne reveals the big differences between The Day of the Jackal TV series and the best-selling thriller novelBond star Lashana Lynch explains why she was “actually quite happy” not to work closely with Eddie Redmayne in new cat-and-mouse thriller The Day of the JackalLatest26 years later, Codemasters' Chris Southall talks Colin McRae Rally: “We wanted to do something that was an authentic rally experience for the hardware of the time"See more latest►
More about crime showsEddie Redmayne reveals the big differences between The Day of the Jackal TV series and the best-selling thriller novelBond star Lashana Lynch explains why she was “actually quite happy” not to work closely with Eddie Redmayne in new cat-and-mouse thriller The Day of the Jackal
More about crime shows
Eddie Redmayne reveals the big differences between The Day of the Jackal TV series and the best-selling thriller novelBond star Lashana Lynch explains why she was “actually quite happy” not to work closely with Eddie Redmayne in new cat-and-mouse thriller The Day of the Jackal
Eddie Redmayne reveals the big differences between The Day of the Jackal TV series and the best-selling thriller novel
Eddie Redmayne reveals the big differences between The Day of the Jackal TV series and the best-selling thriller novel
Bond star Lashana Lynch explains why she was “actually quite happy” not to work closely with Eddie Redmayne in new cat-and-mouse thriller The Day of the Jackal
Bond star Lashana Lynch explains why she was “actually quite happy” not to work closely with Eddie Redmayne in new cat-and-mouse thriller The Day of the Jackal
Latest26 years later, Codemasters' Chris Southall talks Colin McRae Rally: “We wanted to do something that was an authentic rally experience for the hardware of the time"See more latest►
Latest
26 years later, Codemasters' Chris Southall talks Colin McRae Rally: “We wanted to do something that was an authentic rally experience for the hardware of the time”
26 years later, Codemasters' Chris Southall talks Colin McRae Rally: “We wanted to do something that was an authentic rally experience for the hardware of the time”
26 years later, Codemasters' Chris Southall talks Colin McRae Rally: “We wanted to do something that was an authentic rally experience for the hardware of the time”
See more latest►
Most Popular"This is incredibly rare”: How Mouthwashing quietly became 2024’s breakout horror hitI’m no Grinch, but will someone please direct me to the good Christmas games?This canceled Netflix fantasy series was one of the best shows of 2024 – and deserves a second chancePatton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics"Team Asobi’s gigantic 2024 proves it’s time to free Astro Bot from PlayStation’s pastWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was the favorite shooter of the year, and it also made me fall even harder for my fiancé17 years on, Sam Barlow reflects on Silent Hill: Origins: “To pull it out of the bag with a seven-out-of-ten game was incredibly rewarding"Here’s our Black Ops 6 multiplayer playlist to keep you and your pals connected over ChristmasSpy x Family season 3: Everything we know so farOne of 2024’s best anime shows subverts all expectations, but that’s its biggest strengthHow Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the future
Most Popular"This is incredibly rare”: How Mouthwashing quietly became 2024’s breakout horror hitI’m no Grinch, but will someone please direct me to the good Christmas games?This canceled Netflix fantasy series was one of the best shows of 2024 – and deserves a second chancePatton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics"Team Asobi’s gigantic 2024 proves it’s time to free Astro Bot from PlayStation’s pastWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was the favorite shooter of the year, and it also made me fall even harder for my fiancé17 years on, Sam Barlow reflects on Silent Hill: Origins: “To pull it out of the bag with a seven-out-of-ten game was incredibly rewarding"Here’s our Black Ops 6 multiplayer playlist to keep you and your pals connected over ChristmasSpy x Family season 3: Everything we know so farOne of 2024’s best anime shows subverts all expectations, but that’s its biggest strengthHow Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the future
Most Popular"This is incredibly rare”: How Mouthwashing quietly became 2024’s breakout horror hitI’m no Grinch, but will someone please direct me to the good Christmas games?This canceled Netflix fantasy series was one of the best shows of 2024 – and deserves a second chancePatton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics"Team Asobi’s gigantic 2024 proves it’s time to free Astro Bot from PlayStation’s pastWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was the favorite shooter of the year, and it also made me fall even harder for my fiancé17 years on, Sam Barlow reflects on Silent Hill: Origins: “To pull it out of the bag with a seven-out-of-ten game was incredibly rewarding"Here’s our Black Ops 6 multiplayer playlist to keep you and your pals connected over ChristmasSpy x Family season 3: Everything we know so farOne of 2024’s best anime shows subverts all expectations, but that’s its biggest strengthHow Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the future
Most Popular
“This is incredibly rare”: How Mouthwashing quietly became 2024’s breakout horror hit
I’m no Grinch, but will someone please direct me to the good Christmas games?
This canceled Netflix fantasy series was one of the best shows of 2024 – and deserves a second chance
Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics”
Team Asobi’s gigantic 2024 proves it’s time to free Astro Bot from PlayStation’s past
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was the favorite shooter of the year, and it also made me fall even harder for my fiancé
17 years on, Sam Barlow reflects on Silent Hill: Origins: “To pull it out of the bag with a seven-out-of-ten game was incredibly rewarding”
Here’s our Black Ops 6 multiplayer playlist to keep you and your pals connected over Christmas
Spy x Family season 3: Everything we know so far
One of 2024’s best anime shows subverts all expectations, but that’s its biggest strength
How Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the future
GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2
Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3
Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
4
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
5
Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2
Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3
Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5
Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”
1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”
1
Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”
2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2
Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3
Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4
Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”