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Amazon Prime is debuting Cocaine Quarterback, a three-part documentary following Owen Hanson’s dramatic path from USC football walk-on to bookmaker and international drug trafficker. Directed by Jody McVeigh-Schultz and produced by Mark Wahlberg’s Unrealistic Ideas, the series premieres this week.
Good to Know
Hanson celebrated a BCS national championship with USC in 2005 but quickly gained notoriety off the field. Prosecutors say he supplied teammates with drugs and later joined Macho Sports, an illegal sportsbook. After branching out with BetODog.com, Hanson developed ties with a Mexican cartel, moving cocaine to Australia at massive profits.
His downfall came in 2015 when the FBI arrested him during a golf game in California. Two years later, he received a federal prison sentence of over 21 years for operating a vast trafficking and money laundering scheme.
The Amazon docuseries highlights Hanson’s gambling ties, cartel involvement, and eventual prison time, blending interviews with former teammates and friends. Hanson himself acknowledges the risks he took:
“I shouldn’t be here today. I should probably be dead but someone is looking after me from upstairs.”
Following his early release, Hanson has tried to rebuild, launching a frozen popsicle company with investors in Miami. Former USC teammate Brandon Hancock believes Hanson is on the right path:
“The fact is he circumvented all of these things and he’s still here to breathe. I know in his heart he’s a good man — he’s reformed and atoned.”