A man who exploited Pablo Escobar’s name to promote flamethrowers and luxury items through misleading marketing tactics involving scantily dressed models has been sentenced to prison.
Olof Kyros Gustafsson, a 32-year-old CEO of Escobar Inc, orchestrated a global scam where he deceived consumers into purchasing products supposedly associated with the notorious late Colombian drug lord.
Using the alias El Silencio, the Swedish individual utilized provocative advertising featuring half-nude women to showcase products like branded phones and an “Escobar Flamethrower.” However, once customers made online purchases, the items were never shipped.
Establishing Escobar Inc in Puerto Rico, Gustafsson leveraged his rights to the persona of Pablo Escobar, the former leader of the Medellin Cartel who met his demise in 1993, to market various goods at significantly discounted prices between 2019 and 2023.
To generate public interest, Gustafsson even distributed gold Samsung Galaxy flip phones wrapped in foil to technology reviewers. When dissatisfied customers sought refunds for undelivered merchandise, Gustafsson attempted to appease them by sending items like “Certificate of Ownership” or promotional books instead.
Through these deceptive practices, Gustafsson amassed a fortune of $1.3 million. However, observant individuals began to detect anomalies, with YouTuber Marques Brownlee exposing the scam in a 2024 video. Brownlee recounted being visited by the FBI, who requested his communications with Escobar Inc.
Allegedly, the illicitly obtained funds by Gustafsson were funneled through bank accounts in the United States, Sweden, and the United Arab Emirates. Following his extradition from Spain in 2023, Gustafsson has been under federal detention since March 2025.
Having pleaded guilty to multiple charges of fraud and money laundering in July 2025, Gustafsson has now been sentenced to four years in prison by a Los Angeles court. The US Attorney’s Office released a statement disclosing the sentencing details and emphasizing Gustafsson’s obligations for restitution and financial penalties.
