Ismael Zambada Garcia agrees to a $15 billion forfeiture, bringing an end to decades of a violent reign that flooded the U.S. with drugs.

In a case that marks the end of an era for one of the world’s most feared drug cartels, Ismael Zambada Garcia, known as “El Mayo,” pleaded guilty on Monday to leading the Sinaloa Cartel. The conviction ensures that one of the most powerful and elusive figures in international drug trafficking will spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Zambada Garcia, 76, appeared before United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan in Brooklyn, where he pleaded guilty to charges including being a principal leader of a continuing criminal enterprise and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy. His plea brings to a close a decades-long pursuit by

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