Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel | Lex Fridman Podcast #199
Roger Reaves is one of the most prolific drug smugglers in history. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:
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Smuggler (book): https://amzn.to/3xydszD
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OUTLINE:
0:00 – Introduction
3:49 – Money
6:10 – Pablo Escobar
13:22 – Jorge Ochoa
20:58 – First time
25:44 – Landing an airplane on the highway
28:34 – Barry Seal
38:58 – Mena, Arkansas
43:50 – Assassination of Barry Seal
57:03 – American Made
1:01:14 – Blow
1:03:21 – Story of torture in a Mexican prison
1:08:01 – Getting shot down
1:21:44 – Prison
1:35:26 – Reflections on a life of crime
1:40:44 – Advice for young people
1:43:42 – Love
1:57:02 – Death
1:59:48 – Meaning of life
2:03:51 – Poem
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@lexfridman
March 24, 2026 at 12:47 pm
Here are the timestamps. Please check out our sponsors to support this podcast.
0:00 – Introduction & sponsor mentions:
– Noom: https://trynoom.com/lex
– Allform: https://allform.com/lex to get 20% off
– ExpressVPN: https://expressvpn.com/lexpod and use code LexPod to get 3 months free
– Four Sigmatic: https://foursigmatic.com/lex and use code LexPod to get up to 60% off
– Eight Sleep: https://www.eightsleep.com/lex and use code LEX to get special savings
3:49 – Money
6:10 – Pablo Escobar
13:22 – Jorge Ochoa
20:58 – First time
25:44 – Landing an airplane on the highway
28:34 – Barry Seal
38:58 – Mena, Arkansas
43:50 – Assassination of Barry Seal
57:03 – American Made
1:01:14 – Blow
1:03:21 – Story of torture in a Mexican prison
1:08:01 – Getting shot down
1:21:44 – Prison
1:35:26 – Reflections on a life of crime
1:40:44 – Advice for young people
1:43:42 – Love
1:57:02 – Death
1:59:48 – Meaning of life
2:03:51 – Poem
@KingJ-w4z
March 24, 2026 at 12:47 pm
4:55
@Viewerx-x3q
March 24, 2026 at 12:47 pm
Listen to this man speak at a point I thought of “Just like Elvis Presley’s song In the Ghetto. And then he mentioned it himself. This was a very good interview. 👍🏻💪🏻❤️
@Akshay-zq7cw
March 24, 2026 at 12:47 pm
The cartel people wouldn't betray left right centre each other owing to supposed greed, because it would introduce chaos into the workings of the cartel. And if you remember, they got together because they wanted to stop the killings, that is they were interested in stability, even if they didn't care earlier that thousands had died every year in Medellin alone.
There is invisible benefit to them to keep their word. It keeps things as stable and predictable as they can be.
And they are still making mountains of money, even after paying off people who work for/under them. So incentives are aligned for integrity. It suited them.
@PuReGhOsTT
March 24, 2026 at 12:47 pm
What an absolute legend. I see Roger as nothing but a good man.
@Rurik8118
March 24, 2026 at 12:47 pm
19:52 ‘720’ on the ADF Radio 📻(; 22:20 this “ vertigo” shows up with the northern lights flying over dark regions of 🇨🇦’s north
@rubyxcroft2015
March 24, 2026 at 12:47 pm
I love this guy. Great talk. Lovely wife.
@AaronSealOfficial
March 24, 2026 at 12:47 pm
Barry Seal's youngest son Aaron on YouTube.
https://youtu.be/N-iRBH_wKoA?si=w67Q5XLDAQNLAauv
@rogerrathbun444
March 24, 2026 at 12:47 pm
If this man has such high integrity he wouldn't testify in court, how ever he had Noooo problems bringing drugs back to his native country so young kids could get hooked for life and wreck their chances at the American dream
@BrucePerlowin
March 24, 2026 at 12:47 pm
That was a totally great interview-loved every minute of it!
@metsrus
March 24, 2026 at 12:47 pm
that begs the question, would you like a quick early death like Barry Seals or live long enough to be imprisoned for 30 years?
@davidsleith7222
March 24, 2026 at 12:47 pm
fk me running, logged on to see a thumbs up.
this is fur yex, fk russia;
slava ujkraine.
@shotgunsnare
March 24, 2026 at 12:47 pm
I like roger very much and his wife is the definition of a good woman – great, great guest lex ~
@nelsonmachineshop2032
March 24, 2026 at 12:47 pm
Thank you Lex. Cant get any better than this one
@slabbuster
March 24, 2026 at 12:47 pm
They will make a movie about dumbest crap but not about roger reaves people people make movie about this man and keep accurate as possible I know that's hard to do like I said "as possible" make it happen ill dang sure watch it 100%
@ramoncampbell1170
March 24, 2026 at 12:47 pm
Man if they would make a movie 🎥 about his life it would be dope – number one at the box office!
@peterwolff9344
March 24, 2026 at 12:47 pm
Are the clintons sponsering this show.
@peterwolff9344
March 24, 2026 at 12:47 pm
To many interruptions Lex. How much space the money takes up? That alone took revees way off course. Seems like lex was bored and not paying attention. Shame love Reeves
@davidmellish3295
March 24, 2026 at 12:47 pm
He says the money was always right ( I’m writing this at the beginning of the interview,so this could be addressed later ) BUT in Howard Mark’s autobiography he has a conversation with Roger Reeves when they’re both in a Spanish prison and Roger says ‘ Hell,I know Jorge Ochoa,the son of a bitch owes me $10 million
@haroldthomas2172
March 24, 2026 at 12:47 pm
How many people died as a result of all that cocaine? Hundreds of thousands….
@Vele1267
March 24, 2026 at 12:47 pm
This guy thinks he is a history buff and he is interviewing a drug smuggler from the 80s and he doesn't know Oliver North!? Then he obviously doesn't know anything about the Iran-Contra affair. How the hell does he not know that. Proves my point that this guy is a poser….
@Harley831
March 24, 2026 at 12:47 pm
Jewie
@detrujillo
March 24, 2026 at 12:47 pm
such a big podcast, such bad lighting…why?
@eddieinthebed
March 24, 2026 at 12:47 pm
This is grandpa lore to the max
Comments are closed.