Soho Friday scores 'gangster book of the year' from Escobar's son

Soho Friday Media has bagged the “gangster book of the year” from drug lord Pablo Escobar’s eldest son following a chance meeting in Mallorca.

John Blake, who set up the indie with fellow ex-Bonnier employees Richard Johnson and Derek Freeman, encountered Roberto Sendoya Escobar on the Balearic Island. A deal for the world literary, film and TV rights to his memoir was signed at Blake’s holiday home in Cala d’Or this week.

Now an artist known as Phillip Witcomb, the writer promises new information about his father, who became one of the world’s richest men, controlling 80% of the global cocaine market before he was shot dead in 1993.

Blake explained: “Roberto was born when Escobar was 16-years-old. Eventually he was adopted by an MI6 agent after his mother was murdered. Roberto led an extraordinary life in Columbia before being sent to a UK boarding school after a series of kidnap attempts. His story is one of shoot outs, drug deals and billions and billions of dollars.”

He added: “Roberto tells stories in his book that are truly astonishing. This will undoubtedly be the biggest true crime book of 2019.”

The book, with the working title Son of Escobar, is scheduled for publication in October.