Who is Mirtha Jung? The untold story of George Jung's ex-wife
The 2001 Blow film narrates the life story of the late George Jung and the mother of his only child, Mirtha Jung. Due to their involvement in the criminal world, the ex-pair made headlines in the 1970s and 1980s. Speaking about the biographical movie, George revealed in 2018:
I was pretty impressed watching clips from the film. Ted Demme told me, "Very few people in the world have their own time machine, and I built one for you."
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Mirtha and George Jung had a 10-year age difference.
- Both were incarcerated for their illicit activities.
- Penélope Cruz portrayed Mirtha, while Johnny Depp played George in Blow.
Mirtha Jung's profile summary
| Full name | Mirtha Calderon Jung |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | 3 December 1952 |
| Age | 72 years old (As of April 2025) |
| Zodiac sign | Sagittarius |
| Birthplace | Cuba |
| Nationality | Cuban-American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Hair colour | Blonde |
| Eye colour | Brown |
| Sexual orientation | Straight |
| Marital status | Divorced |
| Ex-husband | George Jung |
| Children | 1 |
| Profession | Poet, entrepreneur |
George and Mirtha Jung met through a mutual acquaintance
At the time of their first meeting in Columbia, Mirtha was reportedly 24, while he was 34. According to details from Blow, the duo crossed paths at Derek Foreal's wedding ceremony.
They formed an instant connection, which led to Mirtha calling off her engagement with her then-fiancé.
Source: Original
The couple dated for about a year before walking down the aisle
Mirtha and George exchanged nuptials in 1977. However, no publicly available details exist about their wedding. On 1 August 1978, the pair welcomed their daughter Kristina Sunshine Jung. On 10 November 2016, George took to X (Twitter) to post a photo alongside his child. His caption read:
I cannot live without my heart.
Mirtha Jung's recruitment into the criminal world
During her marriage to George, Mirtha became involved in some of his illicit activities. She became an influential figure in the Medellín Cartel.
At some point, the celebrity ex-wife developed an addiction and would consume her commodity even while pregnant. The authorities soon caught up with her, and she was incarcerated for three years.
She became clean for her daughter's sake
Mirtha turned over a new leaf after her release from prison in 1981. She was determined to be a better mom to her daughter. Kristina had been living with her grandfather during her mom's incarceration. In the end, Mirtha's marriage paid the price for her sobriety.
Source: Getty Images
In 1984, she filed for divorce from George as he continued with his criminal activities, was a fugitive and had his bank accounts frozen. Kristina's mom pursued entrepreneurship and ventured into poetry and writing.
Mirtha Jung's ex-husband served a 20-year prison sentence
In 1994, George was arrested and sentenced to 60 years in prison. However, his sentence was reduced by 40 years after he testified against his partner, Carlos Lehder.
Jung was released on 2 June 2014. About three months later, he contributed to the novel Heavy, which shares a glimpse of his criminal escapades.
What was George Jung's cause of death?
Jung died on 5 May 2021 at his Weymouth, Massachusetts home. At the time, he was suffering from kidney and liver failure and was receiving hospice care. George was succeeded by his daughter, Kristina.
Source: UGC
FAQs
The late George and his first wife, Mirtha, are widely recognised for their past notorious criminal activities. Below are some frequently asked questions about the ex-couple:
How old is Mirtha Jung?
George Jung's ex-spouse (72 as of April 2025) was born on 3 December 1952 in Cuba. After graduating high school, she worked as a waitress.
Is Mirtha Jung still married?
It remains unclear whether Mirtha remarried after her divorce from George. However, he moved on to marry Ronda Clay Spinelli.
How much money did George Jung make?
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Jung was worth $10,000 at his demise. At the peak of his drug-running career, his net worth was as high as $100 million. George reportedly made about $30 million monthly working with mobsters, including Pablo Escobar.
Did George Jung ever connect with his daughter?
After his release from prison in 2014, George reconciled with his daughter. The pair was on good terms at the time of his death in 2021.
Source: Getty Images
What does George Jung's daughter do?
The celebrity daughter is a poet, motivational speaker, event host and actress. According to her IMDb profile, she starred in Blow and Debatt. In addition, George is an entrepreneur who runs the BG clothing line.
George Jung's ex-wife, Mirtha Jung, reformed her life after her incarceration for illicit activities. She stays away from the radar, so little about her current endeavours is known.
READ ALSO: Meet Alvin Martin: Whoopi Goldberg's first husband and Alex Martin's father
Briefly.co.za shared lesser-known facts about Whoopi Goldberg's former drug counsellor and first husband, Alvin Martin. The former couple met in the early 1970s when the actress was struggling with addiction.
Whoopi was 18 years old when they tied the knot in 1973, and they welcomed daughter Alex Martin shortly after. Their marriage lasted six years.
Source: Briefly News
