Augusto "Willy" Falcón, a name that once inspired both fear and intrigue within the U.S. drug trade, is set to unveil his story in an unprecedented manner. The Cuban American kingpin, who alongside his partner Salvador "Sal" Magluta helmed a multi-billion-dollar cocaine empire known as Los Muchachos in the 1980s, has granted his life rights to Entertainment AREU. This production company is led by Ozzie Areu, the former president of Tyler Perry Studios, as reported by journalist Mike Fleming Jr.
Falcón's life, a tapestry of luxury, betrayal, politics, and violence, is slated to be adapted into film, television, and podcast formats. This promises to emerge as one of the most gripping sagas in the true crime genre. "This is the unfiltered truth," proclaimed Areu, who has also secured the rights to the book "The Corporation" by journalist TJ English. The book chronicles how these young Cuban exiles transitioned from high school dropouts to orchestrating vast cocaine shipments and reshaping Miami's skyline.
More than a mere tale of crime, Areu described it as "a twisted pursuit of the American dream flavored with exile, conspiracies, and cocaine." This narrative will dive into secret alliances with the CIA, Pablo Escobar, and Noriega, weaving through smuggling routes from the Bahamas to Mexico. Falcón's account touches on sensitive political histories in Latin America, especially concerning Cuba.
According to the book, Falcón was involved in early operations aimed at overthrowing Fidel Castro, leveraging drug trafficking to fund arms within the Iran-Contra scandal. The audiovisual project promises to disclose never-before-told details of these operations, high-stakes parties, and the pivotal role Cuban exiles played in the shadowy corridors of power.
"I have waited decades for this moment because I want people to hear the whole truth," Falcón expressed. His story, long mired in rumors and fragmented reports, will now unfold in a multi-channel narrative format.
The Rise and Fall of a Cocaine Empire
This isn't Falcón's first appearance in a series. In 2021, he and his childhood friend Magluta inspired the Netflix docuseries "Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miami," chronicling their rise, fall, and legacy as they transformed Miami into a cocaine capital.
Falcón served 27 years in the U.S. for his significant role in cocaine trafficking. Along with Magluta, he moved over 75 tons of the drug into the U.S. between 1978 and 1991. They introduced innovative methods for drug importation and money laundering in Panama through direct connections with Manuel Noriega.
"This isn't just a wild story of excess and ambition," TJ English remarked, "it's a historical saga about how an illegal product reshaped a nation." This narrative pivot positions Willy Falcón as more than a villain; he's a central figure in a real-life drama that spanned Miami, Havana, Bogotá, and Washington.
Legal Battles and Deportation
Falcón and Magluta were arrested in 1991, facing 17 federal charges. They were acquitted in a 1996 trial after witness tampering and jury bribery, but subsequent charges of money laundering, murder, and corruption brought them back to court. In 2003, Falcón pleaded guilty to money laundering, receiving a 20-year sentence, which he served until June 2017 in a federal prison in Kentucky. Magluta, however, was sentenced to life in 2002 and remains in a high-security prison in Illinois.
After his release, Willy Falcón was detained by ICE for lacking legal residency in the U.S. Efforts to deport him to Cuba were contested by his defense, arguing that his life would be at risk. Despite claims that deportation equated to a "death sentence," a Florida immigration judge denied his petition to stay in the U.S. in April 2018. Ultimately, Falcón was deported to the Dominican Republic, where he vanished from public view.
The Global Appeal of True Crime
With the rising popularity of true crime stories and the public's appetite for insider accounts, this production is primed to become a global phenomenon. For Cubans both on the island and abroad, it offers more than entertainment; it provides an intimate glimpse into an unofficial chapter of their history, where exile, politics, and crime intersect with nostalgia, pain, and power.
Exploring the Legacy of Willy Falcón
Who is Willy Falcón?
Willy Falcón is a Cuban American drug lord who was a key figure in the cocaine trade in the U.S. during the 1980s, leading an empire known as Los Muchachos alongside his partner Salvador Magluta.
What is the upcoming series about Willy Falcón?
The series aims to narrate Willy Falcón's life story, encompassing his rise and fall in the cocaine business, his interactions with political figures, and his impact on Miami's transformation, all told across film, television, and podcast formats.
Why was Willy Falcón deported?
After serving his prison sentence, Willy Falcón was detained by ICE due to his lack of legal residency in the U.S. and was ultimately deported to the Dominican Republic after a failed appeal to remain in the United States.