Richard Barile

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Richard Barile was an accomplice of George Jung in his marijuana and cocaine smuggling racket.

Jung, more commonly known as Boston George, was one of the biggest smugglers of cocaine in the 1970s. Jung and his smuggling partner Carlos Lehder would fly hundreds of kilos of cocaine from Pablo Escobar's Colombian ranch to the U.S. where Barile, Jung's "California Connection," would take it and distribute it.

Jung was hesitant to allow Lehder, or any other cartel member, to know Barile's identity as his California connection. That's what gave Jung his edge in the smuggling game and kept others from simply cutting him out. However, in what turned out to be an error in judgment, Jung introduced Lehder to Barile. By the late 1970s, Lehder took his plans to the next level. As Jung had initially feared, by going straight through Barile, Lehder no longer needed Jung in his operation.

It's worth noting that Lehder eventually double-crosses Barile by selling straight to Barile's main customer and fellow distributor, Nick Hunter.