Season 1 |
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Episode Guide
The Starting Gate
The Inside Track
Clean Money, Dirty Tricks
Photo Finish
Cowboy Cartel is a 4-part docuseries that details the story of a rookie FBI agent named Scott Lawson who, after moving to the border town of Laredo, Texas, uncovered a multimillion-dollar money laundering scheme being run by a feared drugs cartel.
The cartel in question was Los Zetas which was run by a man named Miguel Treviño who, with his brother Omar and José, used the American Quarter Horse racing industry as the cover for nefarious criminal activities.
Not many people dared to stand up against the Treviño brothers, lest they get a bullet in their head for their troubles. But nobody told Scott Lawson this when he decided to go up against them in 2009 after becoming suspicious of José Treviño, a bricklayer in Dallas, who came to his attention when he started to buy racehorses for extortionate prices at auctions.
On the surface, there might be nothing too unusual about a bricklayer getting into the horse racing industry. There might be nothing too unusual about the success José achieved after his newly acquired horses won big at several racing events either. But when Lawson discovered who his brothers were, he suspected something fishy might be going on.
Over four episodes, we get insight into Lawson’s investigation and how he eventually brought down the cartel who had terrorized so many. Lawson is interviewed in the docuseries, alongside several others who were instrumental in securing the conviction of the Trevinos. Of those interviewed are members of the IRS task force, assistant US Attorney Doug Gardner, and New York Times journalist Ginger Thompson, who all share their recollections of the high-stakes investigation into one of the most violent cartels in Mexico’s history.
There is some discussion of the Trevinos in the documentary, with mention of their propensity for torture and disregard for human life. It’s clear they weren’t the kind of people most folks would dare square off against – one Mexican police chief who vowed to end their violence learnt that to his cost.
But for the most part, the focus is on Lawson and his colleagues, and their investigation. What we discover makes for mostly interesting viewing, though at four episodes in length, Cowboy Cartel is a little overlong. While the series is packed with fascinating details about Quarter Horse Racing, financial crimes, and Lawson’s investigative work, there’s a sense that the story could have been told in half the time.
Regardless, the docuseries is very well made, with excellent cinematography capturing the beauty of the American Southwest and dramatic reconstructions of key events that add to the compelling nature of this real-life story. It’s clear a lot of thought has been put into the production but it’s undermined by the slow pace that may make some viewers skip forward to the final episode.
Cowboy Cartel isn’t always as compelling as it could have been. But in it’s tale of a rookie FBI agent who dared to face evildoers head-on, it does prove that age-old adage: One man can make a difference. While Scott Lawson didn’t work alone, he was the instigator of an investigation that uncovered high-level corruption orchestrated by a murderous cartel leader who allegedly once ate lunch while seated upon a pile of dead bodies. Thankfully, that particular criminal is now eating his lunch behind bars!
Read More: Where is José Treviño Morales now?
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Verdict - 7/10
7/10