Cryptocurrencies have started to gain popularity ever since Bitcoin — the world’s first decentralized cryptocurrency or digital currency — soared in value and now the Escobar family has created their own cryptocurrency called “Dietbitcoin.”

The late Pablo Escobar’s brother, Roberto De Jesus Escobar Gaviria, just released the digital currency and he’s promising it will offer a faster and lighter alternative to Bitcoin.

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According to their website, Escobar Gaviria’s company Escobar Inc. is currently running an initial coin offering (ICO), where users can buy the token at a 96 per cent discount: down to US$2 from US$50.

READ MORE: Pablo Escobar’s brother says ‘Narcos’ should ‘provide hit men’ for crew after location scout killed

Global News spoke to Escobar Gaviria about the motivation behind the new cryptocurrency.

“The American government through the CIA tried to infiltrate Escobar Inc. I have published proof that the American government created the bitcoin. Los gringos Americanos (the Americans) will sell all their coins and completely ruin the bitcoin. This is why I created Dietbitcoin, for the people. A better version for the people,” Escobar Gaviria said.

Escobar Gaviria’s book titled, Pablo Escobar’s Dietbitcoin, explains why he joined the cryptocurrency industry. He further explains why he believes that Bitcoin was created by the American government.

“The world is going to see that this was created by them,” the book states. “And when they see it, it is too late, and when CIA finds out that the world knows about this, the CIA is going to sell all of their coins, and they will destroy the value of Bitcoin.”

Roberto Escobar. Dietbitcoin

“You can stick with your worthless coins,” Escobar Gaviria writes in the book. “Keep the Ethereum, Keep the TRON, keep the Ripple, keep the Bitcoin. You will see what happens. They will all go to zero, almost zero. But not my coin. Because my coin, this is going to be my new work in life.”

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He continues: “I made over $100 Billion Dollars in profit throughout my career. That’s more than any other company in the world has made in profit, ever.”

READ MORE: Netflix and Escobar family in trademark dispute over ‘Narcos’

When Global News asked if he was worried about the cryptocurrency in such a volatile environment, Escobar Gaviria asked, “why would I worry?”

He continued: “All coins will go to zero, but not Dietbitcoin. I will make sure Dietbitcoin becomes a success. My name is very serious. I am very powerful. Very powerful.”

Olof Gustafsson, CEO of Escobar Inc., told Global News that Escobar Gaviria is “the best person on this planet to launch a cryptocurrency that will become widely used and successful.”

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Gustafsson said that Escobar Gaviria “has seen literally hundreds of billions of dollars pass through his hands, and most of that money came to him. I think that Dietbitcoin will be the most successful and valuable cryptocurrency in the world.”

Gustafsson also said that Dietbitcoin is “a diet version, a lighter version [of Bitcoin].”

Dietbitcoin has marketed itself as a Bitcoin alternative, which will be both faster and lighter than its main competitor. It will use the blockchain, a “peer-to-peer technology to operate with no central authority or banks” and “nobody owns or controls dietbitcoin and everyone can take part.”

According to the Dietbitcoin website, Dietbitcoin has a total supply of 1,000,000 DDX that will be split into three separate sales: 300,000 DDX will be sold at US$50 (currently discounted to UA$2 ), another 300,000 will go for US$100 a coin, and the remaining 400,000 will be priced at US$1,000 during a final ICO round.

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READ MORE: Pablo Escobar’s former girlfriend sues production company behind Netflix series

When asked if he feels that he and his family have experienced more fame and more people reaching out to them because of the popularity of Netflix’s show Narcos, Escobar Gaviria shared his thoughts.

“We were famous before the Reed man who made Netflix was a teenager. Frank Sinatra used to call us for cash almost every week, he was desperate. We did not even know he was famous until we went to a show of his in Las Vegas. I have been famous since I was born. The Escobar family name is the most famous in the world,” Escobar Gaviria told Global News.

Escobar Gaviria is currently demanding US$1 billion from Netflix, with claims that the show wasn’t authorized to use his brother’s likeness and story. He founded Escobar Inc., one year before Narcos premiered and filed for “successor-in-interest-rights” for his brother in the state of California.

READ MORE: Canadian banks aren’t following UK, US, Australia ban on buying cryptocurrency with credit

Daniel Reitberg, COO of Escobar Inc. says that the company is “still in negotiation talks with Netflix and cannot reveal more about these discussions at this time.”

“Everyone should listen to these news, go to www.dietbitcoinICO.org and buy as many dietbitcoins as you can afford, the value will be very high as we are identical in numbers to Bitcoin, except we are 4,000 times cheaper right now,” says Reitberg.

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Escobar Gaviria used to be the accountant responsible for managing over $200 billion in cash revenues for the Medellín cartel which he founded with his brother and he was also at one point the chief of the hitmen. In 1993 Escobar Gaviria was arrested and imprisoned, at which point he was injured in a letter bomb attack that left him half blind and half deaf. Since his release from prison, he has authored several articles, books, patents and is a co-founder of Escobar Inc.