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Founded by the Rodríguez Orejuela brothers, Gilberto and Miguel, along with José Santacruz Londoño—also known as Chape—and Elmer Herrera (alias Pacho), the Kali cartel was built on a foundation of sophisticated bribery and strategic business decisions. Estimates suggest that during its peak, the cartel spent upwards of $1 billion annually on bribes to secure silence from officials, enabling them to operate under the radar and avoid the violent conflicts that plagued their Medellín counterparts.