Michael Corleone Blanco is a Colombian businessman, reality TV personality, and former Columbian drug lord best known as the son of “The Black Widow”, Griselda Blanco. Aged 45, Michael, born on August 5, 1978, was a drug lord before going into legitimate business. He is also a reality television star.
Michael started running his mother’s drug cartel when he was just 12 years old and went on to pilot the affairs of the business for 33 years. After he quit, he launched a legitimate business alongside his old pal and has been appearing on the sets of several reality TV programs, especially those that have to do with the narcotic underworld.
Summary of Michael Corleone Blanco’s Biography
- Full Name: Michael Corleone Blanco
- Nickname: Mike
- Gender: Male
- Date of Birth: August 5, 1978
- Michael Corleone Blanco’s Age: 45
- Ethnicity: Raizel
- Nationality: Colombian
- Zodiac Sign: Leo
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Religion: Christianity
- Marital Status: Married
- Michael Corleone Blanco’s Husband (Wife): Marie Ramirez
- Michael Corleone Blanco’s Children: One
- Michael Corleone Blanco’s Parents: Griselda Blanco and Dario Sepulveda
- Siblings: Three (All late)
- Michael Corleone Blanco’s Height in Inches: 4 feet 9 inches
- Michael Corleone Blanco’s Height in Centimetres: 145 cm
- Michael Corleone Blanco’s Weight: 65 kg
- Michael Corleone Blanco’s Net Worth: $5 million
- Famous For: Being the son of Griselda Blanco
- Michael Corleone Blanco’s Instagram: @michaelcorleoneblanco
- Twitter: @michaelcorleoneblanco
How Old is Michael Corleone Blanco?
Michael Corleone Blanco is currently 45 as of 2024. He was born on Tuesday, August 5, 1978, in Medellín, Colombia, which makes him Colombian by nationality. However, his ethnic background is Raizel – an Afro-Caribbean tribal group. He was named after the notorious Michael Corleone – the lead character in the popular movie known as The Godfather. Mike spent his growing-up years in Medellin, Colombia.
His mother is the late female drug queen, Griselda Blanco. Michael’s dad, on the other hand, was Dario Sepulveda. Dario was the third husband of Griselda, and both thrived in the drug-pedaling business until they separated. Dario met his untimely death at the hands of his ex-wife, Griselda, after he kidnapped Michael and went to raise him on his own; this happened in 1983. Michael didn’t only witness his father’s assassination, but he also survived seven assassination attempts on his family.
Michael is not his parent’s only child. The former cartel leader spent his childhood alongside three older siblings – all boys. His brothers were known by the names Osvaldo Trujillo, Dixon Trujillo, and Uber Trujillo. Michael’s position in the family is that of the last child.
All through their lives, Michael Corleone Blanco’s parents and siblings were going in and out of prisons, and they all died young, making Michael the only surviving child of the Blanco lineage.
Michael’s Mother Was One of the Most Notorious Female Drug Lords of All Time
Often dubbed the Black Widow, La Madrina, the Queen of Narco-Trafficking, and more, Griselda Blanco is a name that will be forever remembered in the Columbian drug cartel scene. The notorious Cocaine Godmother is listed as the first woman to become a billionaire through criminality and was also known as the deadliest woman that ever lived.
Michael Corleone Blanco’s mum was in charge of the notorious Medellin Cartel for many years and ruled the multi-million-dollar drug trafficking empire with an iron hand; thus, she spent a better part of her life in prison. This was the major reason why her last son, Michael, grew up under the watch of his maternal grandmother and legal guardians.
Griselda had multiple criminal charges brought against her, including the assassination of her three husbands. The female drug lord was openly bisexual and was notorious for forcing both women and men to have sex with her at gunpoint.
Griselda eventually met her death on September 3, 2012, when she was shot twice in Medellín, Colombia, by a motorcyclist. She received bullets in both her head and shoulder.
Michael Went Through an Unusual Childhood
Because of the kind of mother he had, Michael had an unusual childhood, though his mafia mum made constant attempts to bring some normalcy into their lives.
According to Michael, Griselda would go out of her way to make him happy by taking him on outings to amusement parks, and she would occasionally rent an entire theatre where they would indulge themselves in watching movies. The drug Godmother often threw lavish parties to make her kids happy and would make Michael’s favorite Colombian soup just to give him a feel of normal life.
She trained Michael to follow in her footsteps, and by the age of 12, he was already a pro in bribing the authorities and giving out instructions to his mother’s drug crew and henchmen.
Michael Corleone Blanco’s Net Worth
Michael Corleone Blanco’s net worth is pegged at $5 million as of 2024, and the former drug lord makes his money from diverse income sources.
It is important to note that before Griselda Blanco was assassinated in 2012, she could boast a total net worth of $2 billion. However, all the Blanco family wealth was confiscated after her demise.
How did he make his Fortune?
Michael has Multiple Income Sources, including drug pedaling, business, reality TV shows, and more.
His First Money was made from Drug Pedaling
As early as age 12, Michael was placed in charge of his mother’s drug business. This started on February 17, 1985, when the Columbian authorities arrested Griselda. Before then, the Cocaine Godmother did a good job of teaching her last son the ropes and how to maneuver his way in the dangerous underworld.
Michael’s reign as the head of Medellin Cartel was meant to be short-lived, but his mum bagged a 25-year sentence, which made him spend all his teenage years pioneering the affairs of the cartel as his older brothers were also incarcerated in prison at that time.
The then-12-year-old found himself in the midst of dangerous drug peddlers, giving instructions to be obeyed by men who were way older than him. During that period, Michael Corleone Blanco’s mum lent him a helping hand by appointing guardians who supervised his running of the business.
He eventually took full charge of Medellin Cartel, running its affairs for the ensuing 33 years. The empire he commanded was so huge that it was shipping over 3400 lbs. of cocaine both by air and sea monthly.
While his reign as the head of their family business lasted, Michael spent time in prison and lost a total of 22 family members, including his dad and big brothers, who died due to one drug-related offense or the other.
The final straw that broke the camel’s back occurred in 2012 when a motorist assassinated Griselda. This singular incident made Michael decide to turn a new leaf and resign from the cartel. Going forward, he went into legitimate business ventures to try and earn clean money, and he has not looked back to date.
Michael Corleone Blanco went from Drug Pedaling to Business
After he decided to quit the high-risk drug-pedaling world, Michael Corleone Blanco went into the wheeling-dealing world of legitimate business.
In collaboration with his close friend, Michael Yuen, he founded the company Pure Blanco streetwear—the firm deals in the sales of clothing items like T-shirts, hoodies, and more. One interesting fact that must not be ignored in the duo’s merchandise is that each item on their stock is branded with Griselda Blanco’s image; what’s more, they also come with the ‘Black Widow’ logo.
When quizzed about his reason for choosing to use his late mum’s image for his product, Mike said it was just his own way of telling the world that he was ready and willing to make a successful career legitimately, and gone are the days of drug trafficking business.
The Pure Blanco company is not only about clothing items; it is also into music, movies, fashion, and cannabis.
Michael is not the only one doing business in the family. His wife, Marie Ramirez De Arellano, also has a beauty brand known as Mia Monroe, which she runs while lending a hand to her husband.
He is into Reality TV
Michael Corleone Blanco had already run his business for years before he decided to become an actor and started scoring acting roles in different reality shows on television.
The first time he was seen on the screen was in 2004 when the former drug peddler joined the cast of Dog the Bounty Hunter on the A&E network, portraying himself. Mike was 26 when he recorded his debut on TV.
The next time he recorded an appearance on TV was 15 years later, in 2019. This time around, he was featured in Cartel Crew in a self-role. The reality TV show has turned out to be his best-known production to date.
In 2021, Michael played yet another self-role in the reality show known as Sidewalks Entertainment. He then went on to record appearances in National Geographic’s series Narco Wars, which centers on the narcotic underworld.
Michael and his Role in Cartel Crew
Since he decided to leave the narcotic underworld, Michael Corleone Blanco had been nursing the desire to come clean about his experience as a drug lord. This particular sentiment was reciprocated by his wife, Marie, who also came from a drug background.
Thus, when VH1’s ‘Cartel Crew started airing in 2019, it was like an answered prayer for the couple. Talking about his decision to join the show in a telephone interview, Michael said the public demanded it, and he was obliged to let it all out.
The TV show, which is set in Miami, Florida, follows the lives of children of cartel families and their activities as they try to navigate life post-cartel. Life was really hard for the cast members as they would often come to a crossroads. They had to battle demons and ghosts from their past, and the ensuing aimless meandering didn’t help much.
The journey they undertook was filled with winding curves, and it continued to prove more twisted as time rolled by.
On the set of the show, Michael Corleone Blanco joined other former drug peddlers like Katherine Flores, Stephanie Acevedo, and his wife, Marie Ramirez De Arellano.
Michael is Associated with some Top Celebrities.
Since his notoriety as a former drug lord went global, many celebrities have been seeking to get acquainted with Michael Corleone Blanco; a good example is American musician Jacki-O, who dropped a mixtape in 2010 named after the Cocaine Godmother, Griselda Blanco.
Talking about his mixtape, Jacki-O said Michael was happy with the fact that he honored his late mum with it and gave his blessings. Mike told the singer how flattered he was and wished him success in his projects.
In 2020, American movie and music superstar Jennifer Lopez went on to produce a movie based on the life and death of Mike’s mum without proper consultations. This earned her open criticism from Michael.
How did Michael and Marie Ramirez De Arellano Meet
The circumstances surrounding Michael and Maria’s first meeting is not known, but the duo reportedly crossed paths for the first time in 2015. Many believe that they must have met in the line of duty since both come from drug families.
Reportedly, it was love at first sight for the couple, and they commenced dating immediately. The duo’s love story was full of twists and turns as Maria’s family fought against their relationship. According to the ensuing tale, they disapproved of their daughter getting involved with someone like Michael Corleone Blanco, even though their own family was also neck-deep in drug peddling.
After her family kicked against her relationship with Michael, Maria was forced to move out of her family home and started cohabiting with her boyfriend. The duo went on to date for six years before deciding to move their relationship a notch higher.
Marie Ramirez De Arellano Became Michael Corleone Blanco’s Wife in 2021
It’s not known exactly when Michael popped the big question to his love interest, but the duo tied the nuptial knot on July 20, 2021. Their wedding ceremony was said to be a beautiful affair attended by family and friends.
Mike wasted no time in taking to his Instagram handle to share clips and pictures from their wedding, which he captioned, “Baby, we found love right where we are!!”
The couple’s wedding was later showcased on VH1 ‘s Cartel Crew.
Though the duo’s marriage has only lasted for a couple of years, their relationship has endured for seven long years. Despite coming from troubled backgrounds, the two have managed to build a strong family worthy of emulation.
Talking about her relationship with Michael, Maria said she has been trying her best to be a supportive wife and partner right from inception. According to the mother of one, she supports Michael in both his business and personal undertakings, such as solidifying his TV interviews, endorsement deals, sponsorship deals, and more.
She also credits her husband’s company for inspiring her to launch her own beauty brand, Mia Monroe, which is also doing great.
Michael Corleone Blanco’s Kids
One year after Michael Corleone Blanco and Maria moved in together, they welcomed the first and only child relationship, a daughter named Faith Michelle Sepulveda, who was born on November 18, 2016.
Faith is currently 7 and should be in the process of getting her earliest academic qualifications, but the details are not known.
Talking about his experience as a father, Michael revealed that he wants his daughter to experience a totally different kind of life, well away from his own childhood experience.
FAQ
Who is Michael Corleone Blanco?
Michael Corleone Blanco is a former Columbian drug lord best known for his appearance on VH1’s reality TV show Cartel Crew.
Who is Michael Blanco’s Father?
The name of Michael’s father is Dario Sepulveda. He died in 1983 after he was assassinated by his own wife, Griselda.
What is Michael Blanco’s Net Worth?
Michael Corleone Blanco’s net worth is currently $5 million as of 2024.
Is Michael Blanco related to Pablo Escobar?
No. There are no blood ties between Michael and Pablo Escobar, though Griselda was once dubbed “Female Pablo Escobar.”
What is Michael Blanco’s Ethnicity and Nationality?
Michael Corleone Blanco is of Columbian nationality; however, his ethnic group is known as Raizel – an Afro-Caribbean tribal group.
Who is Michael Blanco’s Wife?
The name of Michael’s wife is Marie Ramirez De Arellano. The duo started dating in 2015 and wed in 2021.