A con artist who exploited Pablo Escobar’s name to promote flamethrowers and high-end products using models in revealing attire without delivering the goods has been sentenced to prison.
Olof Kyros Gustafsson, 32, the CEO of Escobar Inc, orchestrated a global scam where he deceived customers into purchasing items supposedly associated with the infamous late Colombian drug lord.
Known as El Silencio, the Swedish national leveraged scantily clad women to showcase products such as branded phones and an “Escobar Flamethrower,” but customers who made online purchases never received their orders.
Establishing Escobar Inc in Puerto Rico, Gustafsson claimed rights to the persona of Pablo Escobar, the former head of the Medellin Cartel who died in 1993.
Exploiting Escobar’s reputation, Gustafsson promoted various items like the “Escobar Flamethrower,” gold foldable smartphones, and a physical cryptocurrency named “Escobar Cash” at significantly discounted prices between 2019 and 2023.
To generate interest, Gustafsson even sent foil-wrapped Samsung Galaxy flip phones to tech reviewers. When dissatisfied buyers demanded refunds for undelivered products, Gustafsson sent them fake items like a “Certificate of Ownership” or promotional books instead.
Gustafsson amassed a fortune of $1.3 million through this scheme, but vigilant individuals flagged the operation, and YouTuber Marques Brownlee exposed the fraud in a 2024 video. Brownlee revealed that customers were being scammed and expressed disbelief at how the perpetrators expected to evade detection.
Following public scrutiny, the FBI approached Brownlee to collect his communications with Escobar Inc.
The illicitly obtained funds were allegedly laundered through bank accounts in the United States, Sweden, and the United Arab Emirates.
Gustafsson was extradited from Spain in 2023 to the US and has been in federal custody since March 2025. He previously admitted guilt in July 2025 to numerous fraud and money laundering charges. Subsequently, a Los Angeles court sentenced him to four years in prison.
In a statement, the US Attorney’s Office disclosed that Gustafsson, also known as “El Silencio,” received a 48-month prison term, a $25,000 fine, and was ordered to pay $1,300,193 in restitution. Additionally, Gustafsson agreed to forfeit funds derived from the fraudulent activities, including money held in a Swedish bank account.
