Former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding, now an alleged drug kingpin, has been charged with ordering the murder of a federal witness in Colombia, as revealed in a newly unsealed indictment by the U.S. Department of Justice. This development underscores the extreme measures taken by transnational criminal enterprises to evade justice and highlights ongoing international law enforcement efforts.
The indictment, unsealed on November 19, 2025, charges Wedding and 18 others with orchestrating the murder of a witness who was set to testify against him in a federal narcotics case. According to court documents, the witness was shot five times in the head at a restaurant in Colombia in January 2025, in what prosecutors describe as a cold-blooded act intended to eliminate a threat to Wedding’s operations. The U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Los Angeles, Bill Essayli, emphasized that the murder was a direct response to the witness’s involvement in the 2024 case against Wedding.
Wedding, a 44-year-old Canadian national, is accused of leading a transnational criminal enterprise that collaborates closely with the Sinaloa Cartel, a designated foreign terrorist organization. His alleged network is responsible for importing approximately 60 metric tons of cocaine annually into Los Angeles via semi-trucks from Mexico, with the drugs then distributed across the United States and Canada. Attorney General Pam Bondi characterized Wedding’s organization as one of the most prolific and violent drug trafficking groups in the world, with operations spanning multiple countries.
The murder was allegedly ordered after Wedding placed a multimillion-dollar bounty on the witness’s head, believing it would lead to the dismissal of criminal charges and prevent his extradition to the United States. Prosecutors claim that Wedding enlisted the services of other defendants to locate and kill the witness in Colombia, demonstrating the ruthless tactics employed by his enterprise. This act is part of a broader pattern of violence, as Wedding and his associates are also accused of ordering multiple other murders in Canada to advance their criminal aims.
Among those charged is Wedding’s lawyer, Deepak Balwant Paradkar, who is accused of advising that killing the witness could result in the charges being dropped. Paradkar was arrested in Canada and is awaiting extradition to the U.S., while ten other defendants were taken into custody as part of “Operation Giant Slalom,” a coordinated international law enforcement action. Authorities continue to search for four additional defendants, including the suspected triggerman in the murder, underscoring the complexity of the investigation.
Wedding has been on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list since March 2025, and the State Department has increased the reward for information leading to his arrest to $15 million. Authorities believe he may be residing in Mexico under the protection of cartel associates, and the FBI has described him as extremely dangerous, violent, and wealthy. The Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on Wedding and his enterprise, targeting a complex web of financial transactions used to launder money.
If convicted, Wedding and his co-defendants face a maximum sentence of life in federal prison for charges related to the witness’s murder, drug trafficking, and money laundering. The ongoing investigation has already led to the seizure of 2,000 kilograms of cocaine, numerous weapons, and $3.2 million in cryptocurrency, reflecting a comprehensive effort to dismantle the organization. Law enforcement agencies across North America are collaborating to bring Wedding to justice, emphasizing that no one, not even a former Olympian, is above the law.
This case illustrates the global reach of modern drug trafficking networks and the challenges in combating them. The increased reward and international cooperation signal a determined push to apprehend Wedding, with implications for future efforts to disrupt similar criminal enterprises. As the manhunt intensifies, authorities urge anyone with information to come forward, highlighting the critical role of public assistance in achieving justice.
