the cocaine air podcast
In the decadent 1980's in South Florida...
T.J’ Dominguez is leading a double life. By day he's an upstanding businessman, running an armada of successful enterprises. But by night, he's making - adjusted for inflation - nearly $100 million a month flying tons and tons of cocaine for Pablo Escobar - and his family has no idea!
“I had 30 Lamborghinis, and I dressed well. They brought me the car that matched the shirt that I decided to wear that day.” Dominguez says.
In and around South Florida, Dominguez owned a cell phone company, a housing development, a charter airplane and boat business and an exotic car dealership that sold more Lamborghinis than any other dealership in the world. And Dominguez has never spoken publicly about his near decade of cocaine smuggling until now.
Episode 1 - So I Conned Him Back
In this episode we meet the inimitable T.J. Dominquez fresh out of Federal Prison 3 days ago. He sits down with Johnathan Walton at a secret location, somewhere in Florida, and begins to unpack his unbelievable story. Believe it or not, TJ only became a cocaine smuggler to keep a deathbed promise he made to his father.
Episode 2 - Not my Day to Die
TJ buys a boat and sails to the Bahamas. But he has no idea where to buy large quantities of marijuana. Then, a chance encounter with a boy at the marina where TJ docks his boat changes everything.
Episode 3 - Let me show you how a man dies
TJ buys an old airplane and crash lands learning how to fly it. He eventually gets it to Colombia and starts making mad money smuggling South American weed. But then suddenly he loses an $800,000 load and the Columbian drug lords kidnap TJ, tie him to a chair and put a gun to his head demanding their money. "Go ahead. Kill me." TJ issues defiantly.
Episode 4 - I need a million dollars like I need air
TJ has 24 hours to get his hands on $800,000 cash or those Colombians who kidnapped him are going to kill him. And then kill his entire family. To save his life TJ decides to do something he swore he'd never do.
Episode 5 - I'm the one signing the check around here
In 1986 TJ Dominguez is making $5 million a week - the equivalent of nearly $15 million in today’s money - smuggling cocaine for Pablo Escobar. TJ flies to Haiti to finally get his father's sugar mill up and running and he is devastated by what he finds.
Episode 6 - The Tail Spin Down
One of TJ's own men shockingly turns on him. And in April of 1988 dozens of Federal Agents armed to the teeth raid TJ’s South Florida mansion and arrest him. But TJ plans an 'action movie' type escape.