Pablo Escobar was a Colombian drug lord and a narco-terrorist. He was the head of the Medellin cartel but there are more things that you should know about him.  

Pablo Escobar was known as the most powerful Colombian drug lord and narco-terrorist in the 1980s and the early 1990s. At the age of 44, he built a cocaine empire which was hailed as the biggest in the world.

In fact, his life was even turned into a film through Netflix which became one of the most viewed films on the video streaming site. 

However, not all about Pablo Escobar's life was presented in the film. Here are some important facts that you should know about Pablo Escobar according to a published article in ShortList:

1. 7th Richest Man In The World

Pablo Escobar's Medellin cartel was the most powerful drug trafficking group. They were able to control 80 per cent of the cocaine that was shipped to the United States or a total of $25 billion in the region. During his time, his cartel was able to smuggle around 15 tonnes of cocaine per day. This made him the 7th richest man in the world in 1989, according to Forbes. 

2. The Godfather and Other Nicknames

Pablo Escobar had many nicknames and one of these was known as The King of Cocaine. Other than that, he was also known as Don Pablo, El Doctor, El Mágico, El Padrino, El Patrón, El Señor, El Zar de la Cocaíne.

3. He Spent $2,500 a Month on Rubber Bands

Robert Escobar, Pablo Escobar's brother, and accountant, he said that the Medellin cartel had so much money. They even spent $2,500 a month on rubber bands just to hold his cash. 

4. Robin Hood in His Hometown

He is still regarded as the Robin Hood in his hometown. His father was a farmer and Pablo Escobar often talked about the poverty gap. He used a portion of his wealth on developing his hometown and building barrios, parks, football stadiums, hospitals and, churches in the area.

5. He Was Allegedly Responsible for 4,000 Deaths

Aside from the most powerful man, his cartel was also known as the most notorious. His cartel was alleged to be responsible for 4,000 deaths and that includes the death of his rival drug lords, government officials, and civilians. 

6. He Buried His Treasure Like a Pirate

During the prime of Pablo Escobar, he needs to hide his money. It is estimated that around $60 million of his cash was kept buried using plastic oil drums. There was a report in 2012 that a Colombian farmer found one of these plastic oil drums

7. He Burned $2 Million To Keep his Daughter Warm

Pablo Escobar was on the run and tried to escape prison in 1991. While he was staying in a farmhouse of Medellin, his daughter soon fell ill with pneumonia. To keep his daughter warm, he burned $2 million as kindle for fire. 

8. He Built His Own Prison

Pablo Escobar gained too many enemies and was under threat of being extradited in 1991 from Colombia to the United States. He made a deal with the Colombian government that he would instead build his own prison where he will serve his maximum five years sentence instead of being extradited to the United States. 

Check these out:

Pablo Escobar's Nephew Finds Drug Lord's $18M Stash Hidden Behind a Wall

Hotel Escobar: Inside Pablo Escobar's 5-Star Luxury Prison in the Medellin Prison