El Chapo’s Drug Money May Be Too Dirty for Lawyers to Take

El Chapo’s fortune may be worth nothing in court. A federal judge on Monday said he could not guarantee defense attorneys could keep money they would be paid from the drug lord whose real name is Joaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loera. Guzmán’s chosen private lawyers worry prosecutors may seek forfeiture of their legal fees if they officially sign on to the case, because prosecutors contend the fortune was obtained illicitly through the drug trade.

As a result, taxpayers will continue to foot the legal fees for one of the richest men in the world, who is currently represented by federal public defenders Michelle Gelernt, Michael Schneider, and Ed Zas.
But Cogan did warn the attorneys that the time to swap out lawyers without a serious setback was running low. “If it takes another couple of months, I’m not going to listen to oh, now we’re going to have to move the trial date,” Cogan said.

El Chapo’s trial is currently set to begin in April 2018.

“They, as well as we, intend to be ready for the trial date set by this court,” Gelernt reassured the judge.

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