Jimmy Cournoyer

Jimmy Cournoyer
Born	October 1979 Laval, Quebec, Canada
Occupation	Drug trafficker and supplier
Convictions	Drug trafficking and smuggling
Criminal penalty	27 years' imprisonment

Jimmy Cournoyer (born October 1979), ^[1] sometimes called the Pot Playboy or the King of Pot, is a convicted Canadian drug trafficker and prior to being arrested, the biggest supplier of marijuana to New York and the U.S. East Coast. He was known for his lavish lifestyle,^{[ citation needed ]} which included dating a lingerie model ^[2] and partying.

Originally from Laval, Quebec, Cournoyer was first arrested in 1998 with a few marijuana plants in his Laval apartment. Over several spells in prison, Cournoyer built up a criminal network that grew into a multibillion-dollar international drug trafficking empire that involved the Hells Angels, the Sinaloa Cartel, Native American smugglers, and the Rizzuto and Bonanno crime families. The DEA got a lead on his organization after information provided by a disgruntled girlfriend led to the arrest of Cournoyer and Bonanno associate John Venizelos in 2012. ^[2]

In 2012, Cournoyer was arrested as he tried to enter Mexico. In May 2013, Cournoyer pleaded guilty to two charges: money laundering and conspiracies to manufacture and distribute cocaine and marijuana. He was sentenced to 27 years' imprisonment. His friend and former UFC champion Georges St-Pierre wrote a letter asking the judge for clemency. ^[3] St-Pierre later apologized to his fans, calling his signing of the letter a 'mistake'. ^[4]

References

1. 20 scenes de l'histoire de Jimmy Cournoyer Le Journal de Montreal (in French)
2. Feuer, Alan. "The New York Times - The Rise and Fall of the Biggest Pot Dealer in New York City". The New York Times . Archived from the original on September 5, 2014.
3. Montreal Gazette - ‘King of Pot’ Jimmy Cournoyer has UFC’s Georges St-Pierre in his corner
4. "GSP Apologizes to Fans for Supporting Canadian Drug Kingpin". Bleacher Report .