Olof Kyros Gustafsson, aka "El Silencio," was sentenced to four years in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraud and money-laundering for selling fake Pablo Escobar merchandise. Authorities say the advertised gold phones were Samsung Galaxy Fold models wrapped in foil and the flamethrowers were knockoffs; customers received only certificates or promotional items. Gustafsson must forfeit at least $1.3 million, pay a $25,000 fine, and has been in U.S. custody since his 2023 extradition from Spain.
Swedish Conman 'El Silencio' Sentenced to 4 Years for Selling Fake Pablo Escobar Merchandise
An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows A woman in a black bra and underwear holds an Escobar Inc. flamethrower, Image 2 shows Close-up of Pablo Escobar, leader of the Medellin Cartel, smiling in a black and white photo, Image 3 shows Close-up, black and white photograph of smiling Pablo Escobar, leader of the Medellin Cartel
Olof Kyros Gustafsson, 32, known online as "El Silencio," was sentenced to four years in federal prison after running a multimillion-dollar scheme that sold fake Pablo Escobar-branded merchandise to fans worldwide. A Los Angeles federal court also ordered Gustafsson to forfeit at least $1.3 million and pay a $25,000 fine following his guilty plea to fraud and money-laundering charges.
What Prosecutors Say He Did
Prosecutors say Gustafsson marketed a glossy line of merchandise under the name Escobar Inc., using promotional images of scantily clad models posing with flamethrowers and gold smartphones. According to court records and his plea agreement, the advertised "gold" phones were ordinary Samsung Galaxy Fold devices wrapped in gold foil, and the flamethrowers were knockoffs of Elon Musk's Boring Company product, "Not a Flamethrower."
How the Scam Worked
Instead of shipping the high-priced products customers bought, Gustafsson mailed a "Certificate of Ownership," a book, or other lightweight promotional materials so the company would have a record of mailing. Prosecutors say he used those mail records to deny refund requests and to mislead payment processors into believing the full products had been delivered.
Investigation and Extradition
Spanish authorities extradited Gustafsson to the United States in 2023. He remained in federal custody beginning March 2025 and pleaded guilty in July 2025 to multiple counts of fraud and money laundering. Investigators found he moved and stored proceeds across bank accounts in the United States, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates.
Public Exposure and Cooperation
Several YouTube tech reviewers raised red flags about the purported "gold" phones; prominent reviewer Marques Brownlee publicly criticized Escobar Inc. and later told viewers the FBI requested any communications and the gold phone he had been sent for review. That online scrutiny helped draw attention to the scheme and assisted investigators.
"Those people were getting scammed out of their money," Brownlee said in a July 2024 video about Escobar Inc., noting the marketing and product claims appeared dubious.
Aftermath
The sentence reflects both the financial scale of the fraud and the cross-border nature of the scheme. Gustafsson had faced much longer statutory maximums if convicted at trial, which likely influenced his decision to plead guilty. In press interviews, he criticized Swedish authorities for not protecting him from extradition and said he had sought asylum in Spain before he was sent to the U.S.
Key facts: Gustafsson was sentenced to four years in federal prison, ordered to forfeit at least $1.3 million, and fined $25,000 after admitting to selling fake Escobar-branded goods and using mailing tactics to block refunds.
The fraudster known as "El Silencio" failed to deliver the wild Escobar-branded merchandise he marketed.
The phones he hawked were Samsung Galaxy Fold Phones wrapped in gold foil.
Olof Kyros Gustafsson, aka 'El Silencio." Instagram/@olof_k_gustafssons
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Marketing materials showed scantily clad women holding gold smartphones linked to the drug lord.
The Swedish man kept the funds in overseas accounts in the United States, Sweden, and the United Arab Emirates. X/@SR_Nyheter
In a March 2025 interview with Swedish outlet Aftonbladet, Gustafsson bemoaned Sweden's lack of protection from Spain extraditing him. He had sought asylum in Spain to avoid extradition, according to the outlet.
"I think it's terrible, Sweden does not extradite to the US, and Swedish authorities have not protected me at all," he told the outlet. SVC
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