A man who ran a fraudulent operation under the guise of Pablo Escobar’s name to promote flamethrowers and high-end products using scantily dressed models, without delivering the goods, has been sentenced to prison.

Olof Kyros Gustafsson, a 32-year-old CEO of Escobar Inc, orchestrated a global scam where he deceived customers into purchasing items allegedly associated with the notorious late Colombian drug kingpin.

Operating under the alias El Silencio, the Swedish citizen employed partially unclothed women to showcase merchandise like branded phones and an “Escobar Flamethrower.” However, buyers who made online purchases never received the promised items.

Gustafsson established Escobar Inc in Puerto Rico and held rights to the persona of Pablo Escobar, the former leader of the Medellin Cartel who died in 1993.

Exploiting Escobar’s notoriety, Gustafsson marketed products such as the “Escobar Flamethrower,” gold foldable smartphones, and a physical cryptocurrency named “Escobar Cash” at significantly discounted prices between 2019 and 2023.

To boost public interest, he even sent wrapped Samsung Galaxy flip phones to tech reviewers. In response to dissatisfied customers requesting refunds for undelivered goods, Gustafsson sent trivial items like a “Certificate of Ownership” or promotional books.

Gustafsson amassed a fortune of $1.3 million through this fraudulent scheme. However, some vigilant recipients identified inconsistencies, and YouTuber Marques Brownlee exposed the scam in a 2024 video.

Following this revelation, Brownlee claimed that the FBI approached him to retrieve his communications with Escobar Inc.

Allegations suggest that Gustafsson laundered money through bank accounts in the US, Sweden, and the UAE. Extradited from Spain in 2023, he has been in US federal custody since March 2025.

Gustafsson pleaded guilty in July 2025 to various fraud and money-laundering charges. He has now been sentenced to a four-year prison term by a Los Angeles court.

In a statement, the US Attorney’s Office disclosed that Gustafsson, also known as “El Silencio,” was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison. Additionally, he was fined $25,000 and ordered to pay $1,300,193 in restitution. Gustafsson has agreed to forfeit the proceeds from his fraudulent activities, including funds held in a Swedish bank account.