U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel presented their case on Wednesday against Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic athlete who allegedly transformed into a prominent international narcotics kingpin. The announcement took place in Washington, D.C., where they were joined by RCMP Commissioner Michael Duheme.
Wedding, a former snowboarder who represented Canada at the 2002 Winter Olympics, is featured on the FBI’s top 10 most-wanted list for his alleged illicit activities. Bondi disclosed that the U.S. Department of Justice is accusing Wedding of multiple charges, including witness tampering, money laundering, and drug trafficking, emphasizing his role in a notorious drug trafficking syndicate.
According to the indictment unveiled during the news conference, Wedding is believed to have orchestrated the assassination of a federal witness, identified as Jonathan Acebedo-Garcia, through a now-defunct website named “The Dirty News.” The victim was fatally shot in Medellin, Colombia, before testifying against Wedding.
Described as a “modern-day” Pablo Escobar, Wedding is accused of smuggling approximately 60 metric tons of cocaine annually into Los Angeles via semi-trailer trucks from Mexico. The investigation has led to the indictment of over 35 individuals, with significant seizures of cocaine, weapons, cryptocurrency, and physical assets.
FBI Director Kash Patel likened Wedding to notorious drug lords such as Escobar and El Chapo, urging the public to provide any relevant information. Patel highlighted Wedding’s involvement in a sophisticated narco-trafficking and terrorism scheme.
At the same event, RCMP Commissioner Duheme revealed that seven Canadians linked to Wedding’s criminal enterprise were recently apprehended by law enforcement. He emphasized the ongoing threat posed by Wedding to Canadian public safety and the substantial criminal network he is alleged to operate.
Among the arrested individuals was Atna Onha, also known as Tupac or 2-Pac, who faces charges related to murder and cocaine trafficking, along with potential extradition to the U.S. Edwin Basora-Hernandez, a Dominican national in Montreal, and Canadian lawyer Deepak Paradkar were also detained for their alleged roles in aiding Wedding’s criminal activities.
The collaborative efforts between U.S. and Canadian authorities have resulted in multiple arrests associated with Wedding’s illicit operations, underscoring the persistent pursuit to bring these criminals to justice.