George Jung | |
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| Born | George Jacob Jung (1942-08-06)August 6, 1942 Weymouth, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | May 5, 2021(2021-05-05) (aged 78) Weymouth, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Other names | Boston George, El Americano |
| Occupation(s) | Drug trafficker and smuggler |
| Spouse | Mirtha Calderon (divorced) |
| Children | 1 |
| Conviction | Conspiracy (1994) |
| Criminal penalty | 60 years' imprisonment; served 20 years |
| Medellín Cartel |
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George Jacob Jung (/ˈjʌŋ/; August 6, 1942 – May 5, 2021), nicknamedBoston George andEl Americano, was an Americandrug trafficker andsmuggler. He was a major figure in the United Statescocaine trade during the 1970s and early '80s. Jung and his partnerCarlos Lehder smuggled cocaine into the United States for the ColombianMedellín Cartel. Jung was sentenced to 60 years in prison in 1994 onconspiracy charges, but was released in 2014. Jung was portrayed byJohnny Depp in the biopicBlow (2001).
George Jung was born on August 6, 1942, inWeymouth, Massachusetts, to Frederick Jung, who owned a small business, and Ermine (née O'Neill) Jung.[1][2] In high school, Jung was a star football player and was described by his classmates as "a natural leader",[2] but was charged by an undercover police officer forsolicitation ofprostitution.[1] After graduating in 1961 fromWeymouth High School, Jung briefly attended theUniversity of Southern Mississippi, where he considered studying advertising, but dropped out.[1][2] Jung began recreationally usingmarijuana and sold a portion of everything he bought to break even.
In 1967, after meeting with a childhood friend, Jung realized the enormous profit potential represented by smuggling thecannabis he bought in California back toNew England.[2] Jung initially had his flight attendant girlfriend transport the drugs in her suitcases on flights.[2] In search of even greater profits, he expanded his operation to flying the drugs in fromPuerto Vallarta, Mexico,[2] using airplanes stolen from private airports onCape Cod[3] and professional pilots.[4][1] At the height of this enterprise, Jung and his associates were reportedly making $250,000 a month (equivalent to over $2 million in 2024 dollars, adjusting forinflation).[2] This ended in 1974, when Jung was arrested inChicago for smuggling 660 pounds (300 kg) of marijuana. He had been staying at thePlayboy Club, where he was to meet a connection who would pick up the marijuana. The connection was arrested forheroin smuggling; however, he informed the authorities about Jung to get a reduced sentence.[4] After arguing with the judge about the purpose of sending a man to prison "for crossing an imaginary line with a bunch of plants",[3] Jung was sent to theFederal Correctional Institution, Danbury.[2]
AtFCI Danbury in March 1974 during hismarijuanatrafficking sentence, Jung's cellmate wasCarlos Lehder, a youngGerman Colombian man who introduced Jung to the dominant and powerful international drug-traffickingMedellín Cartel; in return, Jung taught Lehder about smuggling.[5] When they were released in 1976, Jung and Lehder smuggled large quantities of cocaine into the United States by joining forces withPablo Escobar, and they made millions of dollars.[1] They continued in the US cocaine trade through the early 1990s and controlled much of the marijuana trade in New England through the 1980s.
Jung was arrested in 1994 with 1,754 pounds (796 kg) of cocaine inTopeka, Kansas. He pleaded guilty to three counts ofconspiracy and received a 60-year sentence. His sentence was reduced to about 20 years after he testified against his ex-partner,Carlos Lehder. Jung was incarcerated atOtisville Federal Prison inOtisville, New York, before transferring toFederal Correctional Institution,Fort Dix, New Jersey, andFederal Correctional Institution, La Tuna inAnthony, Texas. This was his third time in prison.
Jung was due to be released in November 2014, but was released early, on June 2, 2014, after nearly 20 years.[5] In 2016, he was jailed for a federal supervision violation, then released from ahalfway house in 2017.[1]
In September 2014, Jung contributed to the novelHeavy with T. Rafael Cimino, nephew of film directorMichael Cimino.Heavy is a fictional story about Jung escaping from a Cuban prison and fleeing toGuatemala.[6]
Jung had been suffering fromliver andkidney failure and was receiving hospice care when he died on May 5, 2021, at hisWeymouth, Massachusetts, home.[7]
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