An alleged smuggler to Colombia’s cartels had a secret ally: the DEA

In the sordid annals of Colombia’s underworld, Diego Marín stood out as the ultimate survivor. Time and again, the reputed henchman for the Cali cartel evaded capture — or worse fates — as he built a money-laundering network stretching across four continents. He did so, authorities have alleged, with ruthlessness, street smarts and a willingness to bribe a slew of South American police officers and politicians. All the while, Marín had an even more powerful ally in his corner: the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.