'Cocaine Quarterback' Released From Prison Too Early?
Owen Hanson's journey from a walk-on football player at the University of Southern California to a convicted cartel kingpin is a story of ambition, excess, and unexpected redemption. By 2015, Hanson was arrested in an FBI sting for leading a vast transnational drug, gambling, and money-laundering ring. After pleading guilty in 2017 and receiving a 21-year sentence, he was released early in March 2024. Today, Hanson lives under supervised parole, has launched a protein-bar business, and resides in transitional housing in Long Beach, California. Here's a closer look at his remarkable rise, fall, and reinvention.
From Volleyball to Football and Into the Underworld
Hanson's athletic career began not on the football field but on the volleyball court. At 19, he was cut from USC's volleyball team, a setback that preceded his decision to join the football program as a walk-on in 2004. This transition marked the start of a very different path than most athletes take.
While Hanson never became a football star, he found a way to fit in with the campus elite by becoming a drug dealer. What began as a small side hustle quickly ballooned into a major illegal enterprise. Hanson trafficked cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, and heroin across the U.S., Mexico, Canada, and Australia. He also operated an offshore sports-betting website, blending his ambitions for wealth with organized crime.
The Dark Empire: ODOG and Its Violent Reach
Hanson's criminal enterprise, known as "ODOG," was more than just a drug ring. It was a violent racketeering operation that used intimidation and force to maintain control. One infamous episode involved a gambler named R.J. Cipriani, who lost $2.5 million of Hanson's laundered money in a casino as part of an FBI sting. Cipriani later became an informant, helping bring down Hanson's empire. The intimidation tactics included death threats and even desecration of graves to enforce debts.
According to The Mob Museum, at the height of his operation, Hanson claims he made $1 million a day from his drug and gambling empire, as reported by PEOPLE.
Arrest, Conviction, and Asset Forfeiture
Hanson's downfall came in 2015 when he was arrested at a golf course during an undercover FBI sting. He pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute drugs and was sentenced in 2017 to more than 21 years in federal prison, along with lifetime supervised release. The court also ordered him to forfeit $5 million in assets, including luxury cars, watches, homes in Costa Rica, Peru, and Cabo San Lucas, and a sailboat.
Life Behind Bars and Early Release
While incarcerated, Hanson maintained a strict routine focused on fitness and sobriety. He worked out twice daily, ate healthily, and avoided drugs and alcohol. This disciplined lifestyle helped him endure the challenges of federal prison. According to PEOPLE, Hanson has said that prison saved his life, protecting him from the dangers of his former lifestyle, including potential cartel retaliation and drug overdoses.
In a surprising development, Hanson was released early in March 2024 after serving less than seven years of his 21-year sentence. The motion for his sentence reduction was filed under seal, citing "extraordinary and compelling reasons," as reported by PEOPLE. After his release, Hanson moved into transitional housing in Long Beach, California, with support from Cipriani, who offered him a six-month stay in a one-bedroom apartment to help him reintegrate into society.
Reinventing Himself: From Cartel Kingpin to Protein Bar Entrepreneur
Since his release, Hanson has embarked on a new chapter. While in prison, he reportedly developed a recipe for a protein-packed ice cream using prison mop buckets. This innovation became the foundation for California Ice Protein, a company he launched after his release. Hanson moved out of the halfway house in June 2024 and into his company's warehouse in Los Angeles, signaling a fresh start and a commitment to legitimate business.
Hanson remains on supervised parole but is focused on staying clean, sober, and productive. His journey from a college athlete chasing thrills to a convicted cartel kingpin, and now to a budding entrepreneur, offers a complex portrait of ambition, consequence, and redemption.
The Other Side: RJ Cipriani's Perspective
Not everyone involved in Hanson's story views it the same way. R.J. Cipriani, the gambler whose losses helped bring down Hanson, has publicly criticized the "Cocaine Quarterback" docuseries. Cipriani claims he was misled into participating and portrayed unfairly, insisting he was not complicit in Hanson's criminal activities but acted as an informant to protect himself and seek justice, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Cipriani's account adds complexity to the narrative, highlighting the tangled relationships and motivations behind the scenes. His role as a whistleblower and his ongoing efforts to expose corruption in the gambling world underscore the broader impact of Hanson's criminal enterprise.
What Can You Take Away From Owen Hanson's Story?
Owen Hanson's life is a cautionary tale about the allure of fast money and the dangers of crossing legal and moral boundaries. His transformation from a determined college athlete to a cartel kingpin shows how unchecked ambition can lead to devastating consequences. Yet, his early release and entrepreneurial efforts suggest that change is possible, even after hitting rock bottom.
References: Where Is Owen Hanson Now? All About the Football Star Turned Cartel Kingpin | Owen Hanson on Watching 'Cocaine Quarterback' Doc, Dealing With Cartels, More (Exclusive) | Cocaine Quarterback Participant Claims He Was Tricked by Producers
