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Chagra: The King of Dope: Drugs, Deceit and Dirty Darlings
In May 1970, Richard M. Nixon peered through a window at a wild mélange of protestors outside the White House. "What's the matter with all these people, Bob?" His chief of staff replied, "They're all high on pot, sir. It's a plague that's killing our republic."
The War on Drugs was born.
Meanwhile in El Paso, Texas, Jimmy Chagra was busy turning a loose network of independent smugglers into a multinational empire built on sourcing and distributing high-quality weed. Jimmy would make over $100 million dollars during the '70s, losing much of it in the Las Vegas casinos where he reigned as Sin City's biggest whale. But as the decade rolled on and the War on Drugs took on a life of its own, Jimmy Chagra found himself squarely in the government's crosshairs.
In 1979, as the noose tightened around Jimmy and his operation, an assassin's bullet killed the Federal judge who had been hand-picked by the government to put Jimmy away for life - and the War on Drugs officially transitioned from right-wing slogan to actual war.
Chagra's oldest biological daughter and most devoted child, Catherine, chronicles her father's meteoric rise and fall in a distinctive, heartbreaking voice. She tells the story of a loving family brought to ruin by their beloved father's blind ambition, where the only heroes are the women who survived to pick up the pieces.
The War on Drugs was born.
Meanwhile in El Paso, Texas, Jimmy Chagra was busy turning a loose network of independent smugglers into a multinational empire built on sourcing and distributing high-quality weed. Jimmy would make over $100 million dollars during the '70s, losing much of it in the Las Vegas casinos where he reigned as Sin City's biggest whale. But as the decade rolled on and the War on Drugs took on a life of its own, Jimmy Chagra found himself squarely in the government's crosshairs.
In 1979, as the noose tightened around Jimmy and his operation, an assassin's bullet killed the Federal judge who had been hand-picked by the government to put Jimmy away for life - and the War on Drugs officially transitioned from right-wing slogan to actual war.
Chagra's oldest biological daughter and most devoted child, Catherine, chronicles her father's meteoric rise and fall in a distinctive, heartbreaking voice. She tells the story of a loving family brought to ruin by their beloved father's blind ambition, where the only heroes are the women who survived to pick up the pieces.
238 pages, Paperback
Published September 22, 2023
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August 8, 2025
Catherine Chagra tells a deeply personal and captivating story with honesty and heart.Through her words,the legend of her father comes alive,equal parts fascinating,emotional,and unforgettable.A powerful memoir that lingers long after the last page.
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