The double life of Jhonsson Pulpo: He faked his death and hid in Bolivia as a real-estate agent

For years, Jhonsson Smit Cruz Torres was officially considered dead. A death certificate registered in 2020 helped the alleged Los Pulpos leader disappear from Peruvian authorities, at least on paper, even as prosecutors sought him for crimes including homicide, extortion and kidnapping.

His double life ended in Bolivia, where an international search led to his capture. Investigators said he had passed through Chile before settling in La Paz under another identity. There, he reportedly presented himself as a real-estate agent and lived in residential parts of the capital.

One of the strangest parts of the case dates to August 2020. A certificate registered with Peru's National Registry of Identification and Civil Status recorded his death three days earlier, although he was still alive. How the document was issued remains under investigation.

The false death allowed him to disappear from official lists of wanted people. Yet investigations into Los Pulpos continued, producing evidence and testimony that pointed to Cruz Torres still directing criminal activity from hiding. Videos later circulated showing him attending meetings and parties during the period when he officially appeared to be dead.

According to information from Peruvian media and Bolivian authorities, Cruz Torres also changed his appearance and may have undergone surgery to alter his features. Reports identified a house in Achumani and an apartment in Irpavi among the properties linked to his life in La Paz. He had previously faced a life sentence in Peru.