Seven people in Canada were arrested in connection with Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympian now wanted in the U.S. on drug and murder charges. The detainees include Wedding’s lawyer and the founder of a website alleged to have assisted in locating a murder victim. Authorities say Wedding ran a large cocaine trafficking network and is believed to be hiding in Mexico under Sinaloa Cartel protection. The U.S. has increased the reward for information leading to his arrest to $15 million.
Seven Arrested in Canada Over Ties to Ex‑Olympian Alleged Drug Kingpin — U.S. Raises Reward to $15M
Seven people in Canada were arrested in connection with Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympian now wanted in the U.S. on drug and murder charges. The detainees include Wedding’s lawyer and the founder of a website alleged to have assisted in locating a murder victim. Authorities say Wedding ran a large cocaine trafficking network and is believed to be hiding in Mexico under Sinaloa Cartel protection. The U.S. has increased the reward for information leading to his arrest to $15 million.
04:36 AM, 11/20/2025Security
Canadian and U.S. authorities announced the arrest of seven people in Canada who are alleged to have ties to Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder now wanted in the United States on drug and murder charges.
Arrests and allegations
Officials said the arrests, carried out as part of a coordinated enforcement action named "Operation Giant Slalom," include Wedding's lawyer, Deepak Paradkar, and a website founder, Gursewak Singh Bal. U.S. authorities are seeking extradition of the detained individuals to face charges related to an international cocaine trafficking operation and an alleged plot tied to the killing of a witness.
Alleged murder of a witness
Prosecutors allege that Paradkar, 62, told Wedding that killing a witness in an ongoing case would result in the case being dropped. That witness was reportedly shot five times in the head and killed in January 2025 at a restaurant in Medellín, Colombia. The U.S. Justice Department has said Bal, 31, was paid to post the victim’s photograph online to help locate the witness.
Fugitive profile and international response
Ryan Wedding, 44, who competed for Canada in the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, is accused of overseeing a multimillion‑dollar cocaine smuggling network that moved shipments from Colombia through Mexico into the United States and Canada. The State Department has increased the reward for information leading to his arrest to $15 million.
"A modern day iteration of Pablo Escobar," FBI Director Kash Patel said at a Washington news conference, describing what investigators characterize as a large and violent narco‑trafficking operation. FBI agent Akil Davis said Wedding is believed to be sheltered by the Sinaloa Cartel and described him as "extremely dangerous."
Next steps and cooperation
Authorities said the arrests reflect extensive cross‑border cooperation between U.S. and Canadian law enforcement and that additional extradition proceedings and investigations are expected. In addition to the seven people arrested in Canada, officials said three other suspects with alleged links to the Medellín murder have been taken into custody elsewhere.
Officials continue to ask the public for tips that could lead to Wedding's capture and stressed the urgency of bringing those accused in the network to justice.