NJCS 03: From Felon to Founder: The Rise of the Growfather, George Martorano

“And that’s where I met Pablo Escobar. Pablo was sending loads [of weed] so big, he said, ‘That’s it.’ He went to planes and cocaine. And then I went to Jamaica and started doing my own thing. They had weed and nobody to sell it to. That’s the worst thing you could tell me. Because now I want you going after me.”

So begins the jaw-dropping life of George Martorano, the Growfather—a man whose journey took him from teenage weed runs in a ’52 Chevy, to the jungles of Colombia with Escobar, to surviving five years in solitary fighting off rats and Somali pirates. 

In this episode, George and the founders of Little Leaf Labs share tales of smuggling, family secrets, and how a legacy forged in South Philly’s immigrant grit became a legal cannabis empire in New Jersey. 

From near-mythic family legends—like the time his grandfather killed a priest and fled Sicily—to the launch of the Growfather brand, this is the story of redemption, resilience, and reinvention in America’s cannabis industry.

Key Chapters with Timestamps

00:00 – Meeting Pablo Escobar & the Medellin Connection

  • George’s first trip to Colombia

  • How Pablo Escobar shifted from weed to cocaine

  • George’s early smuggling days

03:15 – The Sting: Arrest, Six Passports, and $20,000 Cash

  • The day George was taken down by undercover agents

  • Details of the sting operation and the aftermath

  • Facing a 32-year sentence

06:45 – Surviving Prison: Solitary, Rats, and Somali Pirates

  • Five years in solitary confinement

  • Fighting rats and living with pirates

  • The psychological toll and survival tactics

10:30 – The Growfather Emerges: From Legacy to Legal

  • George’s transition from outlaw to cannabis entrepreneur

  • The founding of the Growfather brand

  • Reflections on second chances

13:20 – Little Leaf Labs: The Brand’s Birth and Mission

  • Introduction to Little Leaf Labs

  • How George inspired the team

  • The vision for craft cannabis in New Jersey

16:00 – Family Roots: South Philly, Immigration, and Root Beer

  • The Martorano family’s immigrant story

  • The legendary tale of George’s grandfather and the Vatican

  • How family history shaped George’s path

20:00 – The First Smuggling Run: Teenagers, Trunks, and Mexico

  • George’s first weed run at age 15

  • Driving cross-country with a trunk full of cannabis

  • Lessons from the street

24:30 – Conspiracies and the 32-Year Sentence

  • The charges and legal battles

  • Life on the run and in exile

  • How conspiracies shaped George’s fate

28:00 – Coming Home: Redemption and Reinvention

  • George’s release and reentry into society

  • Building a new life in the legal market

  • Finding purpose after prison

31:00 – Building the Growfather Brand in New Jersey

  • Launching in the Garden State

  • Overcoming stigma and challenges

  • The future of the brand

35:00 – Legacy, Lessons, and Looking Forward

  • Reflections on family, resilience, and entrepreneurship

  • Advice for the next generation

  • Closing thoughts from George and the team