A former University of Southern California, Los Angeles men's soccer coach was sentenced to eight months behind bars Friday for pocketing $200,000 in bribes to help applicants get into the school . I did not feel I was a criminal, Salcedo recalled. That night, Salcedo arrived just ahead of the police. He dialed the CIA in Virginia. . One night, a police raid was scheduled to arrest Pallomari at a hiding place. Jorge Salcedos contacts with The Times began with a handshake in Miami during a brief court appearance in October 1998. Get to know Family Physician Dr. Jorge A. Salcedo, who serves patients in Houston and Round Rock, Texas. It was aborted at the last minute. Federal drug agents would have to prove that the cartel leaders continued to operate their smuggling empire from prison, after the extradition ban was lifted. I was hiding for a long time. [4] Salcedo viewed this as an opportunity to begin his relationship with United States law enforcement. Then he got another opportunity and called his DEA contacts in Bogota. We Are Accepting New Patients! Escobar had escaped from prison, only to be tracked down by national police 15 months later. They have 32 years of experience. So the family said, "No, no, no, you stay here.". The show presents a very tense relationship between you and Miguel's son, David. Anti-government guerrilla groups unleashed waves of kidnappings that terrorized the nation. SEARCH . I was there when campaign officials for a presidential candidate came for help. So they needed to capture all the politicians onto their side. Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. The drug boss had just been rescued from an escape vault with the help of a local police captain. Police were guided to his hide-out by radiophone signals. He is still No. So she was forced into being a full-time student. From mid-July into August 1995, Salcedo played a dual role: the man in charge of security for Miguel Rodriguez Orejuela, and his secret betrayer. Former UCLA men's soccer coach Jorge Salcedo has agreed to plead guilty to accepting $200,000 in bribes in the massive "Varsity Blues" college . Salcedo was a prime suspect, one of only five to 10 people who knew where Miguel was hiding. At the end of the season, where they finally capture Palomari, they have you waiting outside in a car, where you kill the hitman Navegante in self-defense. But more than a decade after betraying his bosses, Salcedos life remains in jeopardy. He started. From deep inside the U.S. witness-protection program, the official has shared his story in conversations with the Los Angeles Times. How did you get involved in the first place? On one occasion, we knew that Miguel had time for lunch and a shower before the raiding party was scheduled to arrive. Within a week, Salcedo faced his first life-threatening decision. Escobar was the most powerful criminal in the world. But behind the bloodless fall of the ruthless Orejuela brothers and collapse of their $7-billion-a-year empire lies a little-known story of daring and betrayal. The family became most concerned about accountant Pallomari. He was chief of security for Colombia's Cali cocaine syndicate when he fled cartel assassins and corrupt police hit men for safety and a new life in the U.S. witness . Furthermore, the U.S. drug agents were armed, a violation of Colombian law. Did you encounter any technical issues? He had been summoned to the cartel hideout to give Miguel a report on the pending assassination of Pallomari. I was hiding in my apartment with my family, protected like a bunker, loaded with guns and grenades to be able to reject any surprise taking of the apartment. It was an absurd idea. Finally, threatened with arrest, the brothers fled their palatial homes. The Times has no information about his whereabouts and no way to reach him. It was kind of a double-checking of everything: How was that? Back then, GPS was in the hands of the military only, and I had them. Mason Park Medical Clinic. I wasn't there, but I had people who were actually in the execution of these things. The raiding party that hit Miguels door about dawn the next morning included two DEA agents and an elite search team under Gen. Jose Serrano, chief of the Colombian national police. Catch up on the developing stories making headlines. Today, the brothers are serving what probably will be life terms in U.S. federal prison. So your first assignment was to nail Pablo Escobar? Entertainment Weekly tracked down the real-life Jorge Salcedo - the security head of the Cali Cartel who was central in bringing down the empire and now lives under witness protection in the US. Salcedo was ordered to arrange an aerial bomb attack on the prison. This eventually begins to crack their relationship, till Jorge agreed to be an informant for the DEA.With Jorge's help, the DEA and the Search Bloc succeeded in bringing . I did not go near it. The episode drew international attention, and another assault plan was junked. Miguel, the younger of the two Orejuela brothers, was even more direct: He wanted Escobar dead. Lauren Isackson was listed as a. But Salcedos ability to protect Pallomari and himself was nearly exhausted. However, word of Salcedos role reached Cali, 185 miles southwest of Bogota. The shooter ran to Pacho Herrera for protection. He said, "Well, I know someone who's good. Dr. Jorge A. Salcedo, MD has a rating of 3 out of 5 stars based on the reviews from 20 patients. Salcedo and his family are now under the witness protection program, and they received new identities, and few people know where they are. The practitioner's primary taxonomy code is 207QA0505X with license number M2786 (TX). About DR. JORGE A. SALCEDO MD. Today I am in the late 60s. Prosecutors said that in 2016, Salcedo worked with Singer to help the daughter of a California couple, Davina and Bruce Isackson, gain admission to UCLA as a purported soccer recruit in exchange. Growing up in a third-world country, I recognized the need for medical and health services. I was taken there. So there's one very tense scene in the show where you're taken to a farmhouse for what you thought would be a meeting. But I know all that is always permissible in filmmaking, for the dynamics of the story, and to keep everyone's attention and on the edge. Salcedo said he responded: When they pressed for information, Salcedo told them: We are homosexuals. Call us today to schedule an appointment. In 14 previous seasons, Salcedo has led the Bruins to an overall record of 172-80-42. So my role became other than just Pablo and became to focus on intelligence. But people should know what I know now. We found a house, and my children were small, so I was taking care of school and friends and everything. Oh yes, that was a very tense moment. Salcedos military service in the late 1980s coincided with one of Colombias bloodiest periods. So I realized I couldn't use any of those to get a job with any experience that I could showin order to eliminate all sources of being found. As the head of security for the Cali Cartel and an eventual. Obviously, Im not looking for celebrity -- it would jeopardize our safety, he told The Times. The cartel had important friends in the military, too from helicopter pilots to generals. 2. Pq no se aprueba? says the actress. He's played by Matias Varela, a. They had one child. Because Pablo Escobar at that time had already made an attempt to kill Miguel Rodriguez with a bomb explosion maybe less than a half-mile from where he lived. I had to lose my old name, and I've been working as an engineer under my new name. Later he ran an oil recovery business. He attended the University of Los Andes, from which he earned a degree in industrial economics. In those days, hundreds of high-ranking and lower level police were on the cartels secret payroll tens of thousands of dollars paid every month for inside tips or for looking the other way. Not with Harleys, they used two Land Cruisers. They did that the same. The billionaire fugitives continued to manage the syndicate while moving from one safe house to another. U.S. District Judge William Hoeveler agreed, noting Salcedos service rendered to this country and actions that saved the lives of a number of people.. Was this a "welcome to the club" situation? There was no turning back for Salcedo. My primary job in the Cali cartel was security for one of four godfathers, Miguel Rodriguez Orejuela, the daily operations boss. It should have been the perfect lonely place, Salcedo said. Is that right? Salcedo did not comply with his orders and pretended to not know where Pallomari was, believing Pallomari to be his bargaining chip for his freedom. He served eight years in the Army and was honorably discharged, friends and family say. Many safe houses were known to conceal vaults built into the walls for magician-like escapes. But those guys look like Boy Scouts compared toPablo. I decided to play on the fact that I might not be discovered, Salcedo said. I spent more than six years in the biggest, richest syndicate in the history of crime the Cali cartel. He also knew who was marked for assassination. No es opcional, es una OBLIGACIN. At its peak, the family ran what one U.S. Justice Department official told Congress was the most prolific and successful criminal enterprise in history.. He had been summoned to the hide-out to give an impatient Miguel a detailed report. 03 Mar 2023 15:33:39 The attack was subsequently called off. All six of them. Salcedo is represented by Susan G. Winkler of Winkler Law LLC and Thomas C. Frongillo of Campbell Conroy & O'Neil PC. In the wrong hands, his extensive records of bribes and business dealings posed a greater threat to operations than the inconvenience of the brothers spending a few years of lavish confinement in a Colombian jail. I will say, though it's horrendous, it's not far from the [actual] happenings. He saw traitors everywhere.. He started his career designing. He and his bodyguard were gunned down as they fled. Across town, Salcedos pager went off. Desperate for protection from what they feared most extradition to the U.S. the cartel bosses poured millions of dollars into the bank accounts of Colombian politicians. Four drug traffickers and members of the now-defunct Cali Cartel cover faces on January 15, 2009, in Bogota. Fortunately, I had the means to start a company. And I did engineering studies, and I was doing very specialized services for oil refineries and things like that. I know something about corruption and organized crime. An incident also was arranged so he would inexplicably die in custody. Though Pallomari did not trust Calis chief of security, the fearful accountant went along to another hide-out. Was that how it really happened? Jorge Salcedo, Esq. Jorge married first name Salcedo (born Padilla). I saw one episode, the first or something, where they pull apart one bad guy with two motorcycles. He must have brass balls this big.. 2023 Cable News Network. Jorge Salcedo Cabrera (born 1947), Colombian informant for the DEA. Corruption is the oxygen that keeps organized crime alive. The Bogota team listened, tapped on cement walls and floors, then pulled out power drills and bored into suspicious areas. First, some background: I used to be Jorge Salcedo. But the six assassins ended up dead. The drug boss had just been rescued from an escape vault with the help of a local police captain. Nobody asked me, "Would you have a problem with this?" Narcos season 3 premiered on Netflix on September 1, much to the joy of fans. Como jefe de seguridad, manejaba los detalles del funcionamiento de la . 715 Discovery Blvd Ste 111, Cedar Park, TX, 78613, Based on patient feedback. The biggest bribe I ever handled personally was a half-million-dollar payoff to a Salvadoran air force colonel. The leftover bomb was abandoned. There was public outrage. As instructed, I took those to a bank near the Cali airport and deposited one into the account of a sister and the other to the mother of a captain in the Colombian anti-narcotics task force. Pallomari was hesitant to respond to the DEA's offer, fearing it to be a ploy. Salcedo was consulted on the show, and provided feedback on the role he played in the prosecution and arrest of the Rodrguez Orejuela brothers.[6]. The cash was disguised as a birthday present, about the size of a large shoebox, wrapped in red paper with gold trim. But suddenly police surrounded them. I told them it was unlikely to succeed. The MCUs tiniest heroes are kicking off its biggest phase yet, setting up the next several years of storytelling. Some people in Cali want a word with you, Salcedo was told in a phone call in January 1989. Former UCLA All-American Jorge Salcedo is in his 15th season as head coach for the Bruins, making him the second-longest tenured men's soccer head coach in UCLA history. 10. The two factions agreed, and Jorge worked with the commandos to develop a plan of attack. [1] His father was a member of the Colombian military. For years he had protected the bosses, their wives and children. Dr. Jorge Salcedo, is a specialist in family medicine who treats patients in El Paso, TX. Colombian drug lords Miguel Rodriguez Orejuela, 63, and Gilberto Rodriguez Orejuela, 67, entered guilty pleas and were ushered to federal prison for the next 30 years. Instead of preparing his report, Salcedo called in federal police. In May1989, the attack was set to occur, but heavy cloud cover resulted in a helicopter crash, with most of the commandos failing to make it to Escobar's hideout, Hacienda Npoles. The official end of the notorious Cali cocaine cartel came in 2006 in Miami with little more than the rap of a judge's gavel. Though that law was repealed after the politicians behind it were exposed for taking bribes, the brothers remained in Bogots La Picota prison, beyond the reach of U.S. authorities. The sensational evidence was rushed back to Bogota. Salcedo had previously worked on behalf of British commandos, who worked with the Colombian government to counter the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. What are you doing in the middle of a cane field? one officer inquired. After top campaign aides acknowledged receiving cartel funds, Samper insisted that if such contributions were made, it was without his knowledge. [3][pageneeded], Salcedo stayed in Colombia, awaiting diplomatic permission from the Colombia government to leave. The compound of drug lord Miguel Rodriguez Orejuela filled a city block and contained a swimming pool, tennis court and half a soccer field. And I know that Mexico, like Colombia, cant succeed against its drug gangs without choking off much of the bribery and intimidation that sustain them. The drug bosses there, engaged at the time in a vicious feud with Escobar and the Medellin, summoned the 41-year-old engineer to visit. (Getty, Realtor.com) Former UCLA soccer coach Jorge Salcedo said he couldn't afford the $1.9 million Century City home he bought for his family in 2016.. For years he had protected the bosses, their wives and children. Jorge Salcedo, who pleaded guilty to accepting $200,000 in bribes to fraudulently admit students to UCLA, will serve eight months in prison after receiving a sentence from a federal judge. Aiding U.S. drug agents unexpectedly and at great risk was a senior cartel official, the head of security and intelligence for the syndicate. [2] After the transaction was discovered by national police, Salcedo was outed as a member of the Cali Cartel. The Cali dons knew Salcedo had ties to mercenaries. For his service, the relocated Colombian received rewards of about $1.7 million. Dr. Jorge Salcedo, is a Family Medicine specialist practicing in El Paso, TX with 32 years of experience. So we always arranged our meetings in the woods. But because I was always at the meeting, I was a witness to everything that was spoken there. Business improved even more after December 1993, when Escobar died in a blaze of gunfire. Jorge Salcedo told the judge that he joined in the college admissions bribery scheme because he was desperate for cash after buying a house his family couldn't afford. But descending through a cloud bank, one of the choppers hit a mountaintop. And what do you think? A Warner Bros. A second assault was planned from Panama. Colombian drug lords Miguel MIAMI The official end of the notorious Cali cocaine cartel came in 2006 in Miami with little more than the rap of a judges gavel. He used to be Jorge Salcedo. Join CNN Opinion on Facebook and follow updates on Twitter, The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jorge Salcedo. Some judges became overnight millionaires. It was not an invitation I could refuse, he said. Still, he served as a consultant for the new season and spoke extensively with Narcos showrunner Eric Newman to ensure the series' accuracy. His military service in the late 1980s coincided with one of Colombias bloodiest periods. He also directed the raiding party to a desk in one of the rooms. Inside the apartment they found no one. Murdoch has survived scandal after scandal. WITHIN a week of his first conversation with a U.S. agent, Salcedo faced his first life-threatening decision. But Miguel said, Do your job, Salcedo recalled. He took the police aside and pulled out 500 pesos. All I did that night was go to my most secure location to secure my most beloved possession on earth, which is my family. If you've finished the season, you probably know that he's currently under witness protection in the United States. What did you say? After going into hiding, Salcedo focused his efforts on monitoring his electronic communication network, extracting intelligence on both national police and the Medelln Cartel. Salcedo used it to steer Pallomari toward the DEA. No. Business improved noticeably after December 1993. Searchers dismantled the desk. Military leaders grew restless because of the security failings of an impotent and corrupt government and tried to fill the vacuum, sometimes taking military actions without approval from officials in Bogota, the capital. Dr. Jorge Salcedo is a health care provider primarily located in El Paso, TX. Thus was Salcedo drafted into the Cali cartel. [5], Salcedo was portrayed by Matias Varela in the third season of the Netflix-produced television series Narcos. I had nothing to do with drugs, he said. I wanted to go to someone, but I didnt even know on what door to knock, he said. I also left a home, a country, friends, family, even my past. So they had a lot of questions. And what stories did you tell Eric? The extraditables were seen as security risks. We don't have one chance with these killers. He held degrees in mechanical engineering and industrial economics. My role kept changing. They just changed my functions. Welcome to the Quantum Realm. The Orejuela brothers promptly absorbed much of the Medellin cartel and ultimately controlled 80% of the international cocaine market. On season 3 of Netflix's Narcos, it doesn't take long to realize that one man is at the center of all the action: Jorge Salcedo. THE official end of the notorious Cali cocaine cartel came late last year here with little more commotion than the rap of a judges gavel. Jorge Salcedo is a primary care provider established in Cypress, Texas and his medical specialization is Family Medicine with a focus in adult medicine with more than 30 years of experience. 8190 Barker Cypress Rd Suite 1500, Cypress, TX 77433-1223 (281 . But they have some information that somebody killed him, I don't know how. I had to watch him strangle them, Salcedo said. In the late 1980s, two low-level cocaine traffickers got into a fight over a woman they were both involved with in New York City. He started his career designing forklifts and other machinery. Within days, Salcedo and Agent Kacerosky were on the phone together. Salcedo, 47, pleaded guilty . He was removed from his post in the reserve. I had to go. My logic is fantastic: How could you think that I would be going to the streets? She was needing a general check up and had a few concerns. Jorge Salcedo told the judge that he joined in the college admissions bribery scheme because he was desperate for . The NPI number of Jorge Salcedo is 1508804618 and was assigned on June 2006. THE wonkish, soft-spoken family man was an unlikely drug gang recruit. This raid was successful, and the DEA arrested Miguel. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. And, then, Mexican leaders need to sweep out officials at all levels who have sold their souls to organized crime. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. For his service, the relocated Colombian received rewards of about $1.7 million. Director for External Relations Josh Rebholz and former assistant men's tennis coach Grant Chen conspiring to admit a family friend of Chen's as a member . One of the few who consistently knew where to find them was Salcedo. Longtime UCLA men's soccer coach Jorge Salcedo was placed on leave by the school Tuesday morning after being indicted as part of a widespread corruption scheme involving the admission of. Salcedo and his U.S. handlers arranged to meet in a rural area outside Cali. Pablo Escobar of Medellin was a bandit a criminal a crazy guy who was threatening to kill their wives and children. He directed the raiding party to a desk. And not just the cartel, but the entire corrupt government and the system. Salcedo later came to work in the field of security. Federal prosecutor Edward R. Ryan called the defection a shock and a very personal betrayal to the Cali bosses, leaving the man marked for death. He can also be found . No. ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How much ofNarcos have you seen, especially the new season? Dr. Quyen Trinh is a Board Certified Family Physician and a 2020 to 2021 Texas Top Doc recipient, recognized by the NCQA in Diabetes and Hypertension read more. I had no option of saying no. It didn't happen that way. This time it was near a sugar cane plantation.. It seemed sometimes that they all had their hands out. At a sentencing hearing, he was praised by agents and prosecutors who recommended leniency. Email. He was portrayed in the series by Matias Varela (above). Did those dangers include the North Valley cartel depicted in Season 3? Salcedo said he takes . I was born in Puerto Rico, and raised in Nicaragua, Central America. I wanted to go to someone, but I didnt even know on what door to knock, he said. I had to advise him to be [more] careful.. I was told we were going to meet Miguel [Rodriguez, one of the four Kings of Cali] at a farm whose code was "The Desert." To me, to anybody. They noted the physical damage -- broken desk and holes in the walls -- and found that the search team lacked a proper warrant. In December '88, my friend retired from the army abruptly. The global cartel was directed by Cali-based Colombians, but its operatives included many non-Colombians susceptible to extradition. In the whole truth, I'm not proud of what I did in general, but I'm proud of what I did in capturing Miguel and bringing down the cartel. Please verify insurance information directly with your doctor's office as it may change frequently. Head Coach. Eventually, a total of $6 million in secret donations made Ernesto Samper our president. The Cali Cartel informant is currently in the witness protection program. Discovery Company. I started using very high-level equipment for communications and location detection. The risk was so incredible, Agent Kacerosky said in testimony. [2] After being ordered to kill Pallomari, Salcedo began to believe that he had no choice for leaving the operation other than its dismantling. Key operatives were arrested and had to be bribed, or killed, to keep silent. And they had all read the book, but I was interested that they knew me personally. Im calling from Cali, Colombia, and I have important information on how to locate the heads of the cartel.. He stayed close to Miguel and his family, at every opportunity sharing car rides and meeting with them alone to let his vulnerability erode suspicions. They said, "No way, you have to stay." Salcedo insisted the drug lord was there. Salcedo was born on November 25, 1947, in Bogot, Colombia. I had nothing to do with drugs. Founder Mr. Salcedo is the founder and proprietor of Salcedo Attorneys at Law P.A. My story should start by saying, if you are invited into such an organization, stop -- stop and run away. They treated him like a crackpot I confirmed that, DEA agent Edward Kacerosky testified later. The American DEA agents insisted on taking him into protective custody immediately. Wikifamouspeople has ranked Jorge Salcedo as . This time he contacted a Miami lawyer who could make the connections. In that same year, Joel Rosenthal, an American lawyer who had helped the Cali Cartel with previous cases, was arrested for his connections to the cartel. Cartel documents turned over to Colombian authorities exposed a vast network of corruption. in Osteopathic Physicians, Family Practice. THE Orejuela brothers saw that U.S. pressure on the Bogota government was forcing Colombian authorities to crack down on the cartels. That day I didn't do that. Some targeted the rich drug lords. There are one or two incidents that I may have known about or was around when it happened, but it wasn't always me who was executing all those things. At its peak, the family ran what one U.S. Justice Department official told Congress was the most prolific and successful criminal enterprise in history.. Jorge Salcedo worked for Cali drug cartel in Colombia as security for a godfather, Salcedo paid off police, military, politicians, justices, prosecutors with millions in drug money, One military official got $20,000 a month for info, he says, Salcedo: Mexico must stop the bribery and intimidation that keep cartels in business. He traveled to El Salvador and, through military contacts, purchased four 500-pound bombs for about a half-million dollars. One day, I came first, and he came second. He traveled to El Salvador and, through a military contact, purchased four 500-pound bombs for about half a million dollars. And then after Pablo was dead, you tried to leave the cartel? Will Dominion-Fox News lawsuit be different? Under threat of arrest, the U.S. agents and Serranos team abandoned their search for Miguel Orejuela. I love spending time with Katherine and my two boys, Christian and Ryan. Dr. Salcedo graduated from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma De Honduras Facultad De Ciencias Medicas in 1993. 1 killed when business jet encounters severe turbulence, E-bikes are an environmental dream except out in nature, Sports on TV & radio: Local listings for Seattle games and events, Trump fatigue seeps into right-wing forum that fed MAGA fervor, Doctor: Lesion removed from Biden's chest was cancerous. They got right to the point. Jorge Salcedo is the name of: Jorge Salcedo (actor) (1915-1988), Argentinian actor. jsalcedo@athletics.ucla.edu. His information on the cartelOperation Cornerstoneled to its eventual disbandment, as a result of which Salcedo and his family have entered the United States Federal Witness Protection Program. 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As the head of security for the Cali Cartel and an eventual informant whose work nearly singlehandedly brought down the whole cartel, Salcedo (played by Matias Varela) and his story are central to the show. Furthermore, the American drug agents were armed, a violation of Colombian law. The location you tried did not return a result. Calling on a secure phone line from an undisclosed location, Salcedo, now in his late 60s, spoke at length about his time with the cartel, his life since then in the federal witness protection program, and all the things the show gets rightincluding some of the most harrowing scenes. I have been in witness protection for 22 years. Cartel bosses launched an internal bloodbath targeting other extraditables. Four weeks after the failed raid that left Miguel wounded, another police team arrived outside an apartment building in Cali. The bosses handed out $20,000 checks like hospitality gifts. It was an absurd idea. Jorge Salcedo (soccer) (born 1972), American soccer player and coach. The entire cartel brain trust would go to jail in exchange for a limited five-year sentence to be served at a prison built, or substantially remodeled, at cartel expense.
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