The Flores brothers - Valerie Gaytan buys 3.5 years

Valerie Gaytan is jailed for stashing away $2.3m in drug money. Gaytan and Lopez turned over $4.2m in drug money in August 2010 and claimed it was all that remained from their husband's trafficking. Gaytan stashed millions more with the twins’ brother, Armando Flores.

When they were charged in 2021 with money laundering related to their husbands' millions, the Flores wives filed a motion to dismiss, claiming the government promised them immunity. ‘Cartel wives’ Vivianna Lopez, 42, and Valerie Gaytan, 47, wives of Pedro and Margarito Flores, admitted to involvement in a conspiracy to launder millions from their husbands’ drug trafficking business after the men were taken into federal custody. The cartel wives used drug money for lavish trips in 2018 and 2019, flying to Las Vegas for a Jennifer Lopez concert and to the Turks and Caicos islands, Dubai, Greece and Italy. The wives blew $20k to $30k in cash per trip. The money came from anonymous sources in the mail. In 2010, Gaytan turned over $4.2m in drug proceeds to the government, but she didn’t hand over everything. Millions in cash was sent to her brother-in-law Armando Flores.

Gaytan faced more than 11 years in prison under sentencing guidelines. Drug money paid for schools for children, Lopez’s student loans and even her $3,100 exercise bike. She faces 9 years. Gaytan and Lopez both agreed to the government’s forfeiture request of more than $500k in cash. See ----->El Chapo sentenced to life in prison - ADX Florence looming

The Flores twins learned the drug trade from their father. By age 17 they were the largest cocaine dealers in Chicago.

El Chapo was convicted in 2022 and sentenced to life.

Margarito and Pedro Flores operated a cocaine franchise in Chicago on behalf of Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman. Pedro Flores told a federal jury they returned over $800m to the Mexican cartel. The Flores got 14-year sentences in 2015 but were released into the witness protection program in 2020. The twins imported tons of cocaine from 2005 to 2008.

The Flores brothers operated in Chicago's Little Village.

The Flores sold 38 tonnes of El Chapo’s products to 30 major customers using an army to move both drugs and money.