Jimmy Cournoyer
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Jimmy Cournoyer
| |
|---|---|
| Born | October 1979 (age 46) Laval, Quebec, Canada
|
| Occupation | Drug trafficker and supplier |
| Convictions | Drug trafficking and smuggling |
|
Criminal penalty
| 27 years' imprisonment |
Jimmy Cournoyer (born October 1979),[1] sometimes called the Pot Playboy or the King of Pot, is a convicted Canadian drug trafficker and prior to being arrested, the biggest supplier of marijuana to New York and the U.S. East Coast. He was known for his lavish lifestyle,[citation needed] which included dating a lingerie model[2] and partying.
Originally from Laval, Quebec, Cournoyer was first arrested in 1998 with a few marijuana plants in his Laval apartment. Over several spells in prison, Cournoyer built up a criminal network that grew into a multibillion-dollar international drug trafficking empire that involved the Hells Angels, the Sinaloa Cartel, Native American smugglers, and the Rizzuto and Bonanno crime families. The DEA got a lead on his organization after information provided by a disgruntled girlfriend led to the arrest of Cournoyer and Bonanno associate John Venizelos in 2012.[2]
In 2012, Cournoyer was arrested as he tried to enter Mexico. In May 2013, Cournoyer pleaded guilty to two charges: money laundering and conspiracies to manufacture and distribute cocaine and marijuana. He was sentenced to 27 years' imprisonment. His friend and former UFC champion Georges St-Pierre wrote a letter asking the judge for clemency.[3] St-Pierre would later apologize to his fans, calling his signing of the letter a 'mistake'.[4]
References
- ^ 20 scenes de l'histoire de Jimmy Cournoyer Le Journal de Montreal (in French)
- ^ a b Feuer, Alan. "The New York Times - The Rise and Fall of the Biggest Pot Dealer in New York City". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 5, 2014.
- ^ Montreal Gazette - ‘King of Pot’ Jimmy Cournoyer has UFC’s Georges St-Pierre in his corner
- ^ "GSP Apologizes to Fans for Supporting Canadian Drug Kingpin". Bleacher Report.