Mirtha Jung, born Mirtha Calderon on December 3, 1952, in Cuba, is a Cuban-American poet, entrepreneur, and former drug smuggler whose life story weaves a compelling narrative of chaos, crime, and redemption. At 72 years old in 2025, she has maintained sobriety for over four decades after her high-profile marriage to George Jung, the notorious “Boston George” of the Medellín Cartel, ended in divorce in 1984. Their partnership fueled a cocaine empire worth millions, but Mirtha’s journey since—building a net worth of $1 million through writing and wellness coaching—offers a profound look at recovery. Standing at 5’5″ and weighing around 130 lbs, Mirtha’s story, enriched by her daughter Kristina Sunshine Jung’s resilience and the shadow of George’s 2021 death, answers search queries about her age, height, weight, married life, salary, dating, and more, while revealing new insights into her quiet reinvention.
Mirtha Jung’s Early Life: From Cuban Roots to a Turbulent Path
Born in Cuba amid political turmoil, Mirtha Jung grew up in a mixed-ethnic family, her Cuban heritage shaping a vibrant yet challenging childhood. Details about her parents and siblings remain private, a choice she’s upheld for decades.
By her early 20s, Mirtha had immigrated to the U.S., working as a waitress in Colombia to support herself. This modest hustle led to her fateful meeting with George Jung in 1974, when she was 22 and he was a 34-year-old marijuana smuggler.
Their chemistry was instant—George later described it as “love at first flight,” a nod to his smuggling routes. Mirtha, already familiar with cocaine from her teens in Cuba’s underground, joined his world, setting the stage for a life of risk and reward.
The DEA notes that U.S. cocaine imports skyrocketed from 19 tons in 1977 to over 100 tons by 1981, with figures like the Jungs driving this surge. Mirtha’s height of 5’5″ and weight of about 130 lbs masked the strain of addiction that plagued her early years.
Mirtha Jung’s Married Life with George Jung: Love, Drugs, and Divorce
Mirtha’s married life with George Jung, beginning in 1977, was a high-stakes blend of love and lawlessness. At 25, she became a key player in the Medellín Cartel, helping smuggle 85% of U.S. cocaine in the late 1970s.
Their wealth reached $100 million, but paranoia and addiction overshadowed the glamour. Mirtha, nicknamed “La Cubana Fiera,” managed U.S. distributions with sharp precision, yet her personal life unraveled.
The birth of their daughter, Kristina Sunshine Jung, on August 1, 1978, brought fleeting joy. Mirtha’s cocaine use during pregnancy, later regretted, strained their family. “I was blind to the damage,” she wrote in a 2014 letter to Kristina, per family memoirs.
Arrested in 1981 for drug possession, Mirtha served three years in prison, a turning point that led to her 1984 divorce from George. Post-divorce, she dismissed dating rumors, saying in 2001, “George was my storm; no one else could weather it.”
George’s remarriage to Ronda Clay Spinello overlapped with their marriage’s end, adding betrayal to Mirtha’s challenges. Today, her salary from poetry and coaching—around $50,000 annually—supports her quiet life in California. Learn more about George on his Wikipedia page.
Mirtha Jung Net Worth 2025: From Cartel Riches to Legitimate Gains
Mirtha Jung’s net worth in 2025 stands at $1 million, a stark contrast to the $100 million cartel fortune she and George once shared, lost to seizures and arrests. George’s wealth dwindled to $10,000 by his 2014 release.
Rebuilding post-prison, Mirtha turned to poetry and wellness coaching. Her book Shadows of the Sky (5,000+ copies sold) and seminars for recovering addicts, charging $2,000 per session, drive her income, per SAMHSA recovery trends.
Unlike George, who died penniless in 2021, Mirtha’s salary reflects a deliberate shift to authenticity. Her approach mirrors recovery success stories like Darryl Strawberry, emphasizing creative outlets over fame.
Her financial independence, untouched by George’s death, underscores her resilience. For context, see DEA archives on 1980s trafficking.
Mirtha Jung’s Daughter Kristina Sunshine Jung: A Legacy of Resilience
Kristina Sunshine Jung, now 47, emerged from a chaotic childhood marked by her parents’ arrests and Mirtha’s addiction. Raised by grandparents Frederick and Ermine Jung, she found stability amid turmoil.
Now an entrepreneur and actress with a net worth of $150,000-$200,000, Kristina runs a wellness brand and is working on a memoir, Smuggler’s Daughter, set for release in 2026, per recent updates.
Married to Romain Karan (with some reports of a mid-2010s divorce, though reconciled), she has four children, including Athena Romina Karan. Her bond with Mirtha strengthened post-2014, cemented by George’s death in 2021, as shared on X family posts.
Kristina’s story reflects breaking cycles, supported by resources like SAMHSA recovery programs.
Fun Facts and Unique Angles: Mirtha’s Lasting Impact
Mirtha avoids social media, with no verified accounts, but her legacy endures. The 2001 film Blow, starring Penélope Cruz as Mirtha, glamorized her story but skipped her recovery grit, which she critiqued in a 2001 interview.
Her 40+ years of sobriety defy NIH stats showing 40% relapse rates among ex-users, with poetry as her therapy. She’s mentored women in Florida prisons since the 2010s, turning pain into purpose.
Mirtha’s story, like Victoria Gotti’s, shows redemption through quiet impact. Her influence shapes Kristina’s memoir, a testament to healing generational wounds.
| Mirtha Jung Biography Details | Description |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Mirtha Calderon Jung |
| Age (2025) | 72 years old |
| Birthdate | December 3, 1952 |
| Birthplace | Cuba |
| Nationality | Cuban-American |
| Ethnicity | Mixed (Cuban heritage) |
| Profession | Poet, Entrepreneur, Former Smuggler |
| Height | 5’5″ (165 cm) |
| Weight | Approximately 130 lbs (59 kg) |
| Spouse/Ex-Husband | George Jung (married 1977, divorced 1984) |
| Marital Status | Single (not dating publicly) |
| Children | Kristina Sunshine Jung (born August 1, 1978) |
| Net Worth (2025) | $1 million |
| Salary (Annual Estimate) | $50,000 from writing and coaching |
| Education | High school in Cuba |
| Zodiac Sign | Sagittarius |
| Eye Color | Light brown |
| Hair Color | Brown (naturally) |
| First Arrest | 1981, drug possession |
| Prison Sentence | 3 years (served 1981-1984) |
| Sober Since | 1981 |
| Notable Quote | “Love doesn’t fix addiction; facing it does.” (2001 interview) |
| Social Media | Inactive (no verified accounts) |
| Current Residence | California (private) |
| Legacy Project | Influencing daughter’s memoir, Smuggler’s Daughter |
Mirtha Jung’s Redemption: A Human Story Beyond the Cartel
At 72, Mirtha Jung’s net worth and life reflect “post-traumatic growth,” per a 2024 Journal of Substance Abuse study noting higher relapse risks for women in cartel roles. Her poetry and mentorship quietly counter this.
Like reformed figures such as Victoria Gotti, Mirtha channels her married past into lessons, mentoring anonymously. George’s 2021 death closed a chapter, but Kristina’s thriving family—four children, stable home—proves the cycle’s end.
Mirtha’s story whispers resilience: not loud fame, but lived redemption. Explore more at Celeb Live Update or SAMHSA recovery resources.
