Diego Marín, a longtime figure in Colombia’s criminal underworld, spent decades eluding justice while building a vast global money-laundering and smuggling operation. But according to a shocking new investigation by the Associated Press, his biggest protector wasn’t a corrupt politician or cartel enforcer — it was the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

For years, the DEA labeled Marín a top target. Internally, however, some agents were secretly working with him. Among them was former DEA agent José Irizarry, who eventually became one of Marín’s closest collaborators, helping him smuggle contraband, launder millions, and avoid law enforcement.

Marín, now 62, began his criminal career during Colombia’s bloody drug wars. First arrested in 1993 for hiding cartel cash, he allegedly spent decades bribing law enforcement and using shell companies to clean cartel profits. He was careful, staying out of the spotlight and using his money to buy influence. Despite multiple investigations, he remained free — until his arrest last year in Spain on bribery charges.

The AP’s report, based on hundreds of internal Justice Department records and interviews with former agents, reveals that Marín compromised law enforcement across continents. He even provided a private plane and a $125,000 illegal campaign donation to Colombian President Gustavo Petro — though Petro later claimed he returned the money.

The most explosive revelations center on Irizarry, who joined the DEA in 2009 despite failing a polygraph. Stationed in Colombia, Irizarry met Marín in 2011 and soon began accepting bribes in the form of luxury goods, vacations, and cash. He signed Marín up as a DEA informant in 2013, giving him cover to expand his empire while steering DEA wire transfers and protecting his smuggling routes.

In one operation, dubbed “White Wash,” the DEA claimed to be laundering money to catch Marín. Instead, agents used the funds to party around the world, attending sports events, hosting lavish dinners, and vacationing on yachts. One video shows Marín celebrating at a Madrid restaurant with agents and paid informants.

Despite claims that White Wash netted 125 arrests and $107 million in seizures, a DEA audit in 2020 found those numbers were grossly inflated. Just five convictions were tied to the operation, which laundered far less than agents spent partying. At least $19 million remains unaccounted for.

Irizarry was indicted in 2020 and is now serving a 12-year sentence for money laundering. Marín, who fled Spain after posting bail, was rearrested in Portugal and is now seeking asylum. Meanwhile, the DEA faces mounting scrutiny, with calls for structural reform and even proposals to merge the agency with ATF.

Colombian officials have called the scandal a national embarrassment. “They ended up creating a monster,” said retired Gen. Juan Carlos Buitrago, who investigated Marín for years before being pushed out of his position.

As Marín’s empire crumbles, the fallout continues to shake two nations’ law enforcement agencies — and casts a harsh spotlight on the shadowy world of cartel informants and rogue agents.