The Escobar Phone Scam Finally Crumbles: How a Drug Lord's Brother Built and Lost a Tech Empire Built on Lies

After years of controversy, lawsuits, and unfulfilled promises, the infamous Escobar Inc. smartphone saga has officially reached its end. Roberto Escobar's attempt to capitalize on his brother Pablo's notorious legacy through a questionable tech venture has finally collapsed, leaving thousands of customers empty-handed and serving as a cautionary tale about celebrity-driven scams in the modern age.

From Cartel Accountant to Tech Mogul

Roberto Escobar, known as "El Osito" (The Little Bear), served as the chief accountant for the Medellín Cartel during his brother Pablo's reign of terror in the 1980s and early 1990s. After spending over a decade in prison, Roberto emerged with an unlikely business plan: leveraging the Escobar name to sell "unbreakable" smartphones and challenge tech giants like Apple.

The company, Escobar Inc., launched with bold claims and outrageous marketing tactics. Their flagship product, the Escobar Fold 1, was marketed as a revolutionary foldable smartphone priced at just $349—a fraction of Samsung's Galaxy Fold, which retailed for nearly $2,000.

Red Flags from the Start

From its inception in 2019, Escobar Inc.'s smartphone venture raised numerous red flags that should have warned potential customers:

Impossible Pricing: The company claimed to offer cutting-edge foldable technology at prices that defied basic economics. Industry experts immediately questioned how a startup could undercut established manufacturers by such dramatic margins.

Questionable Product Origins: Investigations revealed that Escobar phones were often rebranded Samsung Galaxy Fold devices with gold stickers slapped on them. The company made no attempt to hide this fact, even posting videos of employees literally peeling Samsung stickers off phones.

Aggressive Marketing Tactics: Escobar Inc.'s promotional materials featured scantily clad models, references to the cartel's violent past, and provocative claims about "destroying" Apple and other tech companies.

The Unraveling

The scam began to unravel as customers who had paid for their devices never received them. Those who did receive phones reported receiving cheap Android devices worth a fraction of what they paid, or in some cases, Galaxy Fold units that appeared to be refurbished or defective.

Consumer complaints flooded social media platforms and review sites. The Better Business Bureau received hundreds of reports, and several class-action lawsuits were filed against the company. Payment processors began freezing Escobar Inc.'s accounts, and major shipping companies refused to handle their packages.

By 2021, the company had largely stopped fulfilling orders while continuing to take payments from unsuspecting customers. Roberto Escobar's public statements became increasingly erratic, at times blaming Apple for sabotaging his business and threatening legal action against tech journalists who exposed the scam.

The Final Curtain

Recent court documents and regulatory filings confirm that Escobar Inc. has officially ceased operations. The company's website has been taken down, its social media accounts abandoned, and Roberto Escobar has reportedly returned to Colombia, effectively ending his brief and troubled foray into consumer electronics.

Law enforcement agencies in multiple countries have launched investigations into the company's practices, though the complex international nature of the operation has made prosecutions challenging. Many victims are unlikely to recover their money.

Lessons Learned

The Escobar phone saga offers several important lessons for consumers in the digital age:

Celebrity Endorsements Don't Equal Legitimacy: A famous name—even an infamous one—doesn't guarantee a legitimate business operation.

If It Seems Too Good to Be True, It Probably Is: Revolutionary technology at impossibly low prices should always trigger skepticism.

Research Before You Buy: Simple internet searches would have revealed the numerous red flags surrounding Escobar Inc. from its earliest days.

Moving Forward

The collapse of Escobar Inc. serves as a reminder that the democratization of e-commerce, while beneficial in many ways, has also made it easier for bad actors to reach potential victims. As consumers, we must remain vigilant and apply critical thinking to marketing claims that seem too good to be true.

For the thousands of customers who lost money to this scheme, the end of Escobar Inc. brings little comfort. However, their experience stands as a valuable warning to others about the dangers of falling for celebrity-driven scams in our increasingly connected world.