Escobar’s rise to prominence can be attributed to his ruthless business acumen and his ability to build a vast criminal empire. By the 1980s, he had become one of the wealthiest and most influential drug lords in the world. At the height of his power, the MedellĂ­n Cartel controlled a significant portion of the global cocaine market. Escobar’s operation was generating an estimated $420 million per week, making him one of the richest men in the world.