Talking Cocaine With The West Coast Don - Mids Magazine
Fri, Feb 6, 2009
Charles Cosby
Charles Cosby talks with Jason “A-Town” Lavezzari in the February 2009 issue of Mids Magazine. Read the entire text article here…
1. Being only 16 and selling crack, how did it make you feel making a lot of money at such young age?
I began selling crack-cocaine at 16 years old to fit in with my peers – because they were selling crack. I never had ideas of becoming rich; I merely wanted a flashy car, jewelry and the latest in designer clothing. I risked my life and liberty carving a niche in the flourishing East Oakland crack trade. I was living my dream of hood wealth. I had thousands of dollars, a nice car, and a few fine bitches. I had the appearance of success, but by no stretch of the imagination was I a kingpin. I was merely a face in the crowd.
2. Before meeting the god mother, how much money would you say you saved up at one point in time? Also, what is the biggest amount you have bought at once before meeting the god mother?
Prior to linking up with Griselda “Godmother” Blanco I had as much as $40-$50 Thousand which is a substantial amount of money for a person in their late teens/early twenties. The most crack I’ve ever had at any period prior to Blanco was a kilogram.
3. Running 3 crack houses in only 6 months and making 1-2 thousand a day, how does that feel for a young man in Oakland?
The crack houses that I controlled were fairly successful but no where near as successful as my counterparts. I earned one thousand dollars every other day at each crack house, but I knew guys who earned 10 times that amount in one day, at one crack house.
4. When u first seen the god mother on the news, what went through your head? Also, did you have any clue at that point you would ever meet her in the future?
I was astonished at the news reports. She was the boss of bosses in the Colombian Underworld, and a female no less. That was a first for me…probably for the world as well! I had no clue that I’d ever cross paths with Griselda, but my hopes were I would.
5. The very first time the god mother called you on the phone from jail, and she
told you her name, what was your first reaction? And did you ever think she would call you after you wrote her the letter you sent to her?
When I heard Griselda’s voice for the first time, my heartbeat tripled. I was nervous. I was used to dealing with my guys in the hood, Brookfield Village, and here I am on the phone with an international legend that represented everything that I strived so hard to become…I was in a state of euphoria.
6. How was it taking Michael Corleone Blanco under your arm as a surrogate father? What did ya’ll do?
It was an honor to even meet Michael Corleone, to begin with. He was the most important person in Griselda’s life. So, for her to allow me to socialize with Michael demonstrated the degree of trust she invested in me. At 12 years old Michael was very wise in the street sense. This is a kid who grew up in the most famous and powerful underworld family in the world, but yet he was humble. Michael and I did many wonderful things together; we took trips to Miami, the Bahamas, We even paraglided in Belize once. We were family. I loved him as much as I do today!
7. After hearing her tell her story to you, did you ever think if you crossed her that she would do the same to you?
Griselda has a very big heart, but If crossed she will react a certain way, just as I would. The Blanco’s were attacked at every turn and Griselda defended her family like any mother would. Many people have the wrong perception of Griselda. They see her as a murderer, but she is far from that. She’s a very loving mother and grandmother. She’s respected in Colombia, and is a mother to thousands of young misguided men who don’t have mothers of their own. She believes in helping those who are unable to help themselves but quite often she’s labeled an evil woman by the media.
8. Being only 22 years old, how did it feel to rub elbows with the queen pen? Did it seem surreal for a kid from Oakland would ever be involved with the Colombian cocaine queen?
It was a feeling of exhilaration to share the company of Griselda Blanco. I was honored to be a piston in her machine. She created many opportunities for me which in turn afforded my children a better life, for which I am eternally grateful. I don’t know where I’d be if not for Griselda Blanco.
9. after meeting the god mother in jail , and a week later getting 50 kilos of
cocaine getting dropped off at your front door like a fed ex package, how did
that make you feel getting your hands on so much weight?
Griselda Represented everything I strived to become in the underworld…She represented the big leagues and I was just a little leaguer, but we came together and made shit happen and it all started from 50 kilograms of Colombian Cocaine. I had never seen so much dope in my life. I was in a state of shock. I knew it would be the best of everything – cars, homes, jewelry – from there on out and it was.
10. When you made your first million dollars, what was the first lavish thing that you bought?
My first major purchase was a Corvette ZR1. I dropped $65,000 on it. I have always been a speed fanatic and at the time that was the fastest production car on the market aside from a Lamborghini Countach…I still have it today It has only 9,000 miles on it.
11. I’m pretty sure everybody would like to know, what does it feel like to be the man?
Being the top guy in any form of employment, whether dealing drugs or working at the post office – brings on more responsibility. If something doesn’t go right everyone will look for someone to blame and it usually ends up being the person with the most responsibility. More responsibility means more problems.
12. After only 45 days of working with the god mother and u became a millionaire,
did you ever think it would be possible, to be in the position that you were in?
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be in such a position, to go from thousands of dollars, to literally millions overnight! It was a fast paced ride.
13. At what point in your life did you get your “trust no bitch ‘ tattoo? Also, what made u get it ? Also, do you still feel the same way?
I got the “trust no bitch” tattoo after I was shot. It was my way of rebelling against Griselda.
14. How did you react when you first heard you have a million dollar contract on your head? And do you know if the contract is still on your head?
I took it in stride. I knew the consequences of turning my back on Griselda would be drastic but I was prepared to accept my punishment like a man. I was only fearful for my children, never for myself. There is no longer a contract on my life; the order was rescinded within the past year. Griselda has become a born-again Christian. The Blanco’s and I are all on the same page…We want to live in peace! It’s too much going on in the world to wake up angry and hell bent on destroying lives. The past has been buried.
15. Was the age difference ever a problem between you and the god mother?
The age difference never posed a problem for either of us. In the beginning I was a bit skeptical because I had never been romantically involved with a woman of Griselda’s age, but as time slipped by we were like any other couple in love. We were partners in life and in business. Griselda was my best friend, my companion, my teacher, my mentor.
16. What were you first thinking when your first had sex with her, for you to know that you were having sex with a billionaire cocaine queen pin?
The experience of having sex with Griselda was no different than being with any other woman. Sure she was a billionaire, but I made love to the woman not the image. She was as romantic as any woman I’d been with. I won’t go too deeply into specifics, but Griselda knows how to please her man if I must say so myself.
17. How deep of feeling did ya’ll have for each other?
Griselda and I not only became best friends but partners in crime. We confided in one another constantly. If she was going thru a situation I was her shoulder to cry on and the same applied with her; she was my umbrella of support. We shared an intimate connection that life-long friends don’t share.
18. How does it feel to be one of the very few, if not, the only person to know the entire god mothers secrets?
The Godmother and I shared many secrets that I will NEVER divulge, not even to save my life. She trusted me enough to share many intimate details about her journey from a Colombian Immigrant to a billionaire narco trafficker who controlled a labyrinth of 1500 subordinates. I was as close to Griselda as blood relatives so as you can imagine I was exposed to a litany of carefully guarded secrets in the first person account.
19. When you met amber in 93? Did you ever think that it would get back to the god mother? And at that point were you worried if she did find out?
When Amber and I became romantically involved I had no idea Griselda would be made aware of the affair. It never crossed my mind, not once. But once the relationship came to light all hell broke loose. I can’t blame Griselda for the chaos that followed because if a person was pledging their undying love to me and I found out they were having a secret affair, all rationale would have gone out of the window – I would’ve responded as Griselda did!
20. You have done something no black man has ever been able to do which is being able to get deep inside the Colombian drug trafficking business. How did you feel knowing you have accomplished that?
Well, I have always been one who loves a great adventure. I am driven like no one I’ve ever met. I believe in taking chances…I’m a risk taker. I live by the motto “take a risk, or risk the consequences.” When I see an opportunity I take full advantage of it and Griselda represented the opportunity of a lifetime. I was able to penetrate a Colombian Cartel because I had the blessings of Griselda Blanco – the person of last resort. Her word was law! Without her Charles Cosby has NO story!
21. In your movie “Cocaine Cowboys 2 ” you talk about osvaldo, how ya’ll became close like brothers. When “el Negro” called you and told you he has been murdered, how hard did that hit you? Also, what was going through your head knowing that you had to be the one to tell the god mother of his passing?
Oswaldo was one of the few Colombians from that colorful era who genuinely loved black people. He was best friends with Washington D.C. kingpin Rayful Edmond. Together, they earned $200 Million in the District of Columbia while they were locked up in Lewisburg Federal prison. Oswaldo was super intelligent. He was a whiz at calculating numbers like his mom. The morning I received the dreadful phone call of his passing my world was shattered. It was like I lost my own brother. Ironically, I have lost a brother and the pain was nearly as great. I feared Griselda would suffer a nervous breakdown because her children were her life – she lived and breathed for her sons. But that morning I was the bearer of bad news.
22. When you were on 98th Avenue at the light, and the 3 Colombians opened fire on your car at the red light, did you know right away that it had to be the god mother sending a hit because she found out about you and amber?
I had no idea at that moment that the gunmen may have been connected to Griselda. But as I said; the past is the past. There is no more bad blood I have a world of respect for Griselda. She’s a loving grandmother and I’m a proud father. I wish her sunny days and eternal happiness.
23. when you told the god mother, ” god mother, if you put your hands on me again I’m going to fuck you up. ” did you say it hastily from frustration of her choking you, or at specific time that happened, were you ready to fuck her up?
My response was a reaction to the embarrassment I suffered in the packed visiting room. Who wants to be choked in front of a crowd of people by a woman no less? I didn’t have any real intention of physically attacking Griselda. If I did I doubt I would have made it out of the prison alive. I’m sure I would’ve been beaten to death by the guards, no less. Griselda was indeed a very powerful woman.
24. From that point on , did you think or did you feel that she truly trusted you, or she had other motives for keeping you around, then she would get rid of you whenever she was done having you take care of whatever she needed?
I fell out of favor with Griselda for the next several weeks, but the broken trust was repaired. I don’t believe there were any secret motives in her keeping me around. She loved me and like any husband or boyfriend who’s been caught cheating by their significant other, Griselda was devastated and she responded accordingly.
25. Also, did you fully trust her after that point?
I didn’t have a reason not to trust Griselda. She still made sure I ate even after discovering my deceit. She could’ve cut my supply, or replaced me with one phone call. But she kept me around because she genuinely loved me.
26. What did you think when she threatened brook field, did you think she was serious?
I knew she meant business. Griselda is not the type of person to make idle threats. Only fakes do that. She’s the real deal. If she wants something done, it will be done! Fortunately, I was able to quell her anger.
27. Nov 93, when she told you she had plans on kidnapping John F. Kennedy Jr. so she could hold him for ransom and get herself out of jail, what was going through your head?
I was against the plot from the moment she shared it with me. I made Griselda aware of my feelings but at that point she was desperate and not thinking from a clear perspective. Florida had ideas of sending her to death row, and in her mind she was guilty until convicted. So until you walk in some one else’s shoes you have no idea of the dept of their struggles. But had Griselda asked me to do anything else I would have gladly obliged but I didn’t want any parts of a plot that was destined to fail. As far as I was concerned we could’ve hired the best and brightest legal talent in the world to defend Griselda against the capital murder charges, but her life was on the line and she felt as though she wouldn’t receive a fair trial in an American court room and that’s how the plot to Kidnap Kennedy came about.
28. Did you ever get to the point to where you thought to yourself you finally got in too deep with the god mother and you would rather just go your own way?
When the Kennedy fiasco came about I had thoughts of “this is out of my league, I just want to be normal again.” All the money I earned, my high-flying career had come down to a fuckin’ kidnapping. I couldn’t believe it.
29. You more then anybody knows how dangerous the god mother is. Is the million dollar bounty she put on your head still going?
I reiterate: THERE IS NO DEATH CONTRACT ON MY LIFE!
30. What was going through your head and how were you feeling knowing when you got the subpoena in the mail, that you would have to testify against the god mother about the John F. Kennedy Jr. kidnapping attempt or spend the rest of your life in jail?
That’s a misconception! I was NEVER going to testify against Griselda Blanco at trial. I never gave prosecutors any relevant information at the deposition that could’ve hurt Griselda’s case. I didn’t want to be in Florida to begin with and to kick her in the face while she is down is not something I’d do to even my enemy. She and I had a disagreement and for that very reason she and I “divorced” so to speak. I was living my life in California and a year later I received a Subpoena from the State of Florida. As I alluded to in Cocaine Cowboys 2, it was a complete and total surprise.
31. People always see the glamorous side of the drug dealer life style, the money, cars, clothes, hoes. But they never really see the own side to being a drug dealer. Please let the people know the downsides to being a drug dealer for the younger people that think selling drugs is all fun and games with no repercussions.
A drug dealer’s success is measured by the price of his cars, the size of his diamonds, and the exoticness of his women. I had all those things in great abundance, but for every successful dealer like Charles Cosby there are 10 thousand unlucky dealers, in every ghetto across America, who have had the misfortune of being shot, killed, arrested and sentenced to life in prison on a variety of drug charges. Although I will not knock a man for the way he in which he chooses to feed and cloth his children, I will say there is never a right way to do a wrong thing.
32. What would you like to tell the younger generation about growing up and doing something positive with there life instead of going down the road of selling drugs?
You only get one shot at life – make the best of it. Make wise decisions. If you’re going to sell drugs, there will be legal consequences someday. A drug dealer has to be lucky every day of his life…The police only have to be lucky once!
33. Please tell the people about your book.
My book “Hustlin’ With The Godmother: THE CHARLES COSBY STORY” is not yet available. My agent, Joel Gotler, is in negotiations with several big name publishing houses. The title, co-authored by investigative journalist Mark Ebner, will be available for purchase later this year. It promises to be a best seller – so stay tuned!
34. How hard was it for you to make the transition from being one of the biggest drug dealers to just stop selling drugs cold turkey and living a normal life?
It wasn’t difficult at all. My resolve to walk away from a multi-million-dollar business was stronger than my love of money. I wanted to live right and do right by my children. I wanted to look at myself in the mirror and for once be proud of who I saw – the proud man my mom raised me to be. I realized only when it was too late that a man’s character cannot be defined by riches but by the way in which he lives his life.
35. What does Charles Cosby like to do on his spare time?
I enjoy eating fine foods, mainly Pakistani, Belizean and Colombian dishes. I enjoy shopping, antiquing at flea markets and auction houses. I also occupy my time reading and watching old black-and-white westerns. I spend my summers in Belize where I own a small 2 bedroom house on the beach. However, I didn’t get the chance to visit this past summer because of my endless promotion of Cocaine Cowboys 2, which has become a huge seller in 52 countries.
36. After meeting the queen pin, what the most money you stacked up at one point in time?
Your readers will have to rent or purchase “Cocaine Cowboys 2” to find out but I will go on record and state I had direct access to several accounts controlled by Griselda Blanco with deposits totaling $65 Million. Griselda took care of me financially and she never broke a promise!
37. What would you like to tell the kids / younger people about how important it is to stay in school and to further there education?
I am a strong believer that God places people in certain situations to be a light of inspiration to others — and hopefully that’s what I’ve become to the young, often forgotten segment of society! I have survived through so many negative situations and I’m still here to tell my story…It’s my turn to save lives. Our kids aren’t listening to the teachers or the preachers, but they’ll listen to me ’cause I am an example of the best & the worst that life has to offer!! I want my redemption to serve as an example that there are more opportunities for a young black man than holding down the block. We are losing too many of our children. 20 years ago I was causing the same grief on the same streets…But I found myself! And now I want to help the young guys who are lost, find themselves. I can’t stress enough how important it is to put down the guns! Let your real characters shine. Make your mothers and children proud of you! Stop worrying about what the next person thinks of you!! Live for tomorrow, not just today!! Because at the end of the day it’s not about what brand names you’re wearing, what kind of car you drive, or how many “important” people you claim to know. It’s about being able to look at yourself in a mirror & be proud of what you see!! I love you & I won’t give up on you ’cause I was once you!!!!!!
38. I read in one of your interviews that you said “no black, white, or Colombian man has done Griselda and I accomplished” please explain to the people what u mean by your statement.
I’ll give your readers a breakdown of what I meant: Griselda Blanco was a Billionaire Cocaine Queen and I was just a crack dealer whose only opportunities for upward mobility were confined to the ghetto. But Griselda and I, by the stroke of a pen came together, became friends, lovers and eventual business partners in a multi-million dollar enterprise. She took a chance on a kid from East Oakland and it paid off for her to the tune of $200 Million in a 4 year span. Where else in history have you witnessed such a story? This remarkable accomplishment hasn’t been done before or certainly since. There will never be two criminals to pull off What Griselda and I did – not in a lifetime!
39. How did u feel having daily routines working for the god mother flying from city to city, state to state, taking care of major cocaine transactions?
In the very beginning of my partnership with Griselda Blanco it was exciting to visit other cities and states. It was a new experience. I had never been out of California, so to wake up one morning in New York and fall asleep later that evening in a penthouse suite in Miami was a rush. I was living my dreams of wealth and power – and I was working with the Godmother. But then, the endless traveling wore me down psychologically – one deal at a time! I couldn’t keep up with the rigorous pace of the business. Even with the millions I earned, I was no longer enthusiastic about the business. I had become complacent.
40. Its obvious you’re a fly ass nigga when it comes to your wardrobe, as the west coast don it’s only right for you to have a playa ass wardrobe and stay on top of ya game. Do you think it’s important to stay looking sharp when it comes to being on top of any game? And for the people that don’t know, has looking fly always been a part of your attire?
I’ve always been a sharp dresser. A hustler’s wardrobe, whether he’s a pimp or a dope dealer, has to be designer casual – the most expensive. I’ve always worn custom tailored white linen. Why? Because it allows me to stand out in any crowd, it reinforces my status as a boss and it’s nothing more appealing to a woman than to see a handsome chocolate man dressed in white linen. A successful dope dealer’s wardrobe is as unique to his character as his fleet of cars.
41. I know that you’re a man that loves different cars. How many cars would you say that you have had in your lifetime, and what types have they been?
If I had to take a guess I’d say I’ve owned two dozen cars over the years ranging from Corvette’s, to Mercedes Benz’s, Jaguars, and Range Rovers. But my favorite care has to be my CL63 Renntech Mercedes Benz. It’s not only stylish, but it’s as fast as a Ferrari 430.
42. I really want to stress to my readers and have them understand that you, Charles Cosby, are the real life scar face. People hear about George Jung from the movie “Blow” and think he is the main man, or people hear about Nicky Barnes and the drug dealer Rick Ross. Please help me paint a picture for the
readers how much larger you were compared to them.
I won’t even attempt to compare my accomplishments to those guys (with the exception of George Jung) he wasn’t even on my level so you can scratch him from the list. As for Nicky Barnes or Rick Ross they were self made millionaires. I was indoctrinated into an already thriving enterprise. However Nicky and Rick established themselves and built multi-million dollars enterprises respectively, from the ground up. I had the benefit of starting at the top of the food chain with Billionaire Griselda Blanco – the matriarch of a hemispheric drug cartel. It’s as though I raced Nicky and Rick in a 100 yard dash, but I started on the 50 yard mark. So, it’s really not fair to compare our accomplishments – I was given a head start!
43. How do you feel about the war on drugs? Do you think its bullshit and a waste of time, or do you think it really serves a purpose. Also Do u think its a never ending “war”?
WHAT WAR?! The war on drugs is the BIGGEST failure since the assassination of President Kennedy. America has the strongest military force on planet earth. If they wanted to sincerely put an end to drug dealing – once and for all – they could bomb drug producing nations such as Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, and Mexico – Into oblivion. That’s what they did to Iraq and its citizens in search of weapons of mass destruction, right? But isn’t drugs just as dangerous as illegal weapons? Drugs have become just as American as apple pie – and prostitution! America will NEVER eliminate the prevalence of drugs because that underworld economy employs a large segment of law enforcement on the federal and local level. Without drugs to stimulate the economy many folks would be unemployed primarily the Drug Enforcement Administration. If law enforcement doesn’t reach their quotas relative to interdicting drugs and confiscating assets from suspected drug suspects, their funding dollars will decrease. And if they don’t make any significant drug arrests, they essentially will be disbanded. The war on drugs is a fuckin’ joke!
44. Looking back, do u regret any of the choices you have made as far as major cocaine trafficking is concerned?
I regret 99% of the choices I made, but I won’t go as far as saying I was a bad person. I was a person who made bad decisions. Destroying lives and trafficking in drugs is a lose/lose situation no matter how you look at it. Drugs and violence goes hand-in-hand – and I shared a bed with both. I can’t change the damage I orchestrated against the “hood” but I can change the course I travel. I’m on a mission to save lives!
I am so grateful, appreciative and humbled by the amazing support I’ve received. I feel incredibly blessed and honored. I’ve met so many wonderful and down to earth people who live in such far away places as Sweden , Germany , London , Australia , Brazil , Japan , China , New Zealand , Amsterdam and many other countries. But my biggest thanks go to my dear mom, the late Mrs. Erma Jean Garcia-Cosby; I hope you’re proud of me…Rest In Paradise. To my dear brother, Julius “Papa Mack” Henderson May you rest in paradise as well. I would also like to thank my wife, Erica Cosby. Thank you for saving my life. My children, La Tasha, Mya, Renesha, Anthony and Shanice. You are the breath I breathe. Let my mistakes be the stepping stones to your success. Heartfelt thanks to my nephew, BLJ, for being there whenever I called upon his assistance. In a time when friends are so hard to come by and people so difficult to trust I count you as one of my few true friends. Thanks to Griselda Blanco, Michael Corleone Blanco , Cris “One Bad Colombian” Rios, Donovin Kennedy, Taray Green and all the hustlers (worldwide) who have supported my hustle by purchasing Cocaine Cowboys 2. Thanks to the incredible men behind “Cocaine Cowboys 2” Billy Corben, Alfred Spellman Evan Rosenfeld and David Cypkin for allowing me to realize my dreams and supplying the vehicle with which to broadcast my remarkable story. I also send thanks to the many fearless men who sacrificed their own safety to shield me from the hostile elements of the sinister world I called home. And lastly, in honor of the countless victims claimed by the crack-cocaine holocaust may you too rest in paradise!
Tags: charles cosby, Cocaine Cowboys, griselda blanco, Interviews
March 25th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
My best friend was killed by the Mafia. He was shot once in the back of the head in the woods near where he lived and his feet and head and hands were cut off. He was trying to make money in a chop shop car stealing ring, but… if you have not Love…you have nothing. He was offered a chance to leave …but refused. Let me tell you somthing…nothing is worth your life…but you first have to understand what your life is. It is inside of you. You are the pillars of breath, holding up the ceiling of existence.
April 14th, 2009 at 9:08 am
how did u feel being the laeder of the organization that gave everyone there orders cause i watched cocaine cowboys 2 and from what i gathered off that is that they didnt take kindly to taking orders from a black man me personaly i dont think skin color matters its the attitude that determines what i think about people. if u actually get this i look forward 2 your response
April 14th, 2009 at 9:14 am
if you actually recieved that i would be interested in talking to a legend such as yourself
April 14th, 2009 at 9:21 am
i am just a fan but you could call me at 5073512729 i look forward to recieving youe call
sincerely michael stoeckel
May 15th, 2009 at 7:52 am
Shit!I´ve got a Real Imperium of C but that is the King of the Game!Shit!Gimme a mail,i was contact you!
Greeettttzzz from Germany
Ionic5
August 29th, 2009 at 2:42 am
You made millions of dollars because of your relationship with a murderer. No matter how good a mother she is, she killed wives, sisters, brothers, sons and daughters. She should have died in jail. Use your money to help the unfortunate instead of using it to buy nice cars because there are people out there who work hard the right way and never obtain what you have!
September 3rd, 2009 at 12:22 am
charles, you are such an inspiration to me i cant even put it into words. i just watched cocaine cowboys 2 and i am blown away. i thought the movie “Blow” (w/ Johnny Depp) was good, but this….wow. anybody that calls themselves a hustler in the game today should look at you and what you went through. Never in my life have i been as moved by a story as i have been by yours. after watching cocaine cowboys 2, i realize what kept you alive, it wasnt luck, it was love. u had love for ur homies, and they loved u back. u loved griselda and she loved u back. if u got love in ur heart, u cant go wrong. anyways, i guess all im tryin 2 say is: thank you. thank you for being such an inspiration.
November 22nd, 2009 at 1:41 pm
nuff respect carlo, you put a lot a my life in perspective from when you was before griselda. I too have spunked tens of thousands of cash in months! Hustlin is very lonely indeed, i think unless you born wid money, we’ll always strive to blow all our dough on shit that we think will make us happy