Farmer Discovered $600 Million Of Pablo Escobar's Money Buried On His Land

People often say that money does not grow on trees, but that does not mean it cannot show up in the most unexpected places.

While one man nicknamed Britain’s Pablo Escobar built a $1.25 billion drug empire while working as a bus driver, the real-life kingpin who inspired the comparison left behind something very different. In Colombia, a local farmer ended up stumbling across a hidden fortune once tied to the notorious cartel leader.

Pablo Escobar remains one of the most infamous drug lords in history. As the head of the Medellín Cartel, he generated enormous wealth, which made him one of the richest criminals the world has ever seen.

Most people would think twice before going anywhere near money connected to Escobar. Still, one farmer had little choice after discovering $600 million buried on his family ranch.

José Mariena Cartolos was digging a trench for irrigation when he came across several containers packed tightly with cash. The money was stacked and stored in a way that made it clear this was no small amount, and it likely had a complicated history behind it.

Even though the discovery happened in 2015, more than two decades after Escobar’s death, Cartolos did not want to risk any connection to the criminal network. Despite the staggering amount of money in front of him, he contacted authorities soon after finding it.

He found containers filled to the brim Reddit

In the end, the authorities seized every dollar and did not leave Cartolos with a share. Some might say he could have at least upgraded his farming equipment, but he chose honesty instead.

Reports later stated that the funds were redirected into social and economic programs by the Colombian government. While that may not have benefited the farmer directly, it meant the money was put toward public use rather than returning to criminal hands.

When the story made its way online, many people admitted they might have handled the situation differently if they had been in his position.

Escobar had money buried in lots of places ILES/AFP via Getty Images

One Reddit user wrote: "Never would've said a word. Would've loaded that up and been gone."

Another commented: "Why would he report it? I'd be living the high life right now."

A third joked: "I'd invoke the law of finders keepers."

A fourth person added: "Dude won the lottery and and said 'no thank you.'"

Others argued that Cartolos made the safest and smartest choice, especially considering the money’s origin and possible consequences.

"Finding a stash that belongs to a cartel is a 'I'm f***ed' situation," one person wrote. "The first question is: how do I get out of that alive?"

Another user chimed in, saying: "Any Colombian farmer would know better than to advertise this lol."

A third person pointed out: "I promise you that you would have no idea what to do with $600m in illegal cash."