'Popeye', one-time assassin for Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, dies
World+Biz
07 February, 2020, 08:25 am
Last modified: 07 February, 2020, 08:27 am
He was imprisoned again in 2018 on extortion charges
Jhon Jairo Velasquez, known as Popeye Sicario in the service of drug lord Pablo Escobar, before appearing before a judge after being captured in Medellín, Colombia May 25, 2018. Photo:Reuters
Jhon Jairo Velasquez Vasquez, who worked for Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar and said he participated in some 300 murders, died on Thursday, the government said.
Velasquez, known by his alias 'Popeye,' died of stomach cancer in the early hours of the morning, Colombia's prison institute said in a statement.
Following his release in 2014 after more than two decades in prison, Velasquez appeared frequently in the media and gathered more than 1.2 million subscribers on his YouTube channel.
He was imprisoned again in 2018 on extortion charges.
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