Olympic snowboarder-turned-cartel boss charged in witness murder, say US officials

US authorities allege Ryan Wedding ordered a federal witness killing while leading a billion-dollar drug network

US authorities have accused former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding of directing the murder of a federal witness while running what they describe as a major international drug cartel.

According to the US Justice Department, investigators believe Wedding, 44, ordered the killing by arranging for a witness’s photo to be uploaded to a fabricated Canadian news website called The Dirty Newz in October 2024. Officials allege he paid C$10,000 ($7,000) for the images of the witness and his wife to be posted in an effort to track them down. The FBI has since taken the website offline.

The witness was fatally shot in a Medellín, Colombia restaurant in January. During a press briefing, US Attorney General Pam Bondi said Wedding has now been charged with witness tampering, intimidation, murder, money laundering, and drug trafficking.

US and Canadian officials also raised the reward for information leading to Wedding’s arrest from $10m to $15m, describing him as a “modern-day Pablo Escobar.” FBI Director Kash Patel stated that Wedding is responsible for leading “a narco-trafficking and narco-terrorism programme not seen in years.” Authorities believe the Canadian national is hiding in Mexico under the protection of the Sinaloa cartel and remains one of the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted fugitives.

Law enforcement agencies from both countries also announced a new indictment and a wave of arrests tied to the alleged criminal network. RCMP Commissioner Michael Duheme confirmed that seven Canadians associated with Wedding’s operation were detained across Quebec, Ontario, and Alberta and will be extradited to the US. Charges include conspiracy to commit murder and drug trafficking.

Among those arrested is Toronto lawyer Deepak Balwant Paradkar, whom the US Treasury Department accuses of providing illicit services to Wedding’s organization. Officials allege he received luxury watches and extra compensation in exchange. A newly unsealed indictment claims Paradkar advised Wedding and a close associate to kill the federal witness to prevent Wedding’s extradition from Mexico.

Authorities also arrested Gursewak Singh Bal, 31, identified as an alleged co-founder of The Dirty Newz. An eighth Canadian suspect remains at large.