United States authorities have unveiled sweeping charges against a prominent Greater Toronto Area lawyer and seven other Canadians, alleging their involvement in a sophisticated international drug trafficking and murder conspiracy led by former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding.
The Cartel's Canadian Connections
The U.S. Department of Justice announced that flashy GTA attorney Deepak Paradkar faces charges including murder conspiracy and drug trafficking for his alleged role in Wedding's criminal network. According to federal prosecutors, Paradkar didn't just provide legal defense—he actively counseled the alleged drug lord on eliminating witnesses.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi described Wedding as controlling "one of the most prolific and violent drug-trafficking organizations in this world" during a Wednesday news conference. She identified him as Canada's largest cocaine distributor, with his organization allegedly smuggling over 60 tonnes of cocaine annually through long-haul semi-trucks moving between Colombia, Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
Witness Murder and Cartel Protection
The case took a deadly turn when Wedding, allegedly protected by Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, ordered the murder of a key witness against him. Federal authorities claim the drug lord used a since-shuttered Canadian website called "the dirty news" to post photographs of the informant and his wife to locate them.
"The witness was gunned down in a restaurant in Medellin, before he could testify against Wedding," Bondi revealed, highlighting the ruthless efficiency of Wedding's operation.
Authorities identified cartel strongman Edgar Aaron Vazquez Alvarado, known as "the General," as providing protection for Wedding within Mexico and using police sources to help locate targets.
Financial Network and Additional Arrests
The investigation also netted Toronto jeweler Rolan Sokolovski, who allegedly oversaw bookkeeping for Wedding's organization and laundered funds through his business, 2351885 Ontario Inc., operating as "Diamond Tsar" with a Toronto storefront.
Wedding's organization used sophisticated financial methods to conceal profits, including cryptocurrency transfers. Authorities have already recovered approximately $3.2 million in cryptocurrency and confiscated over $13 million in physical assets.
The FBI has placed Wedding on its list of 10 most wanted fugitives and increased the reward for information leading to his arrest from $10 million to $15 million. Officials describe him as an extremely violent criminal believed responsible for numerous murders abroad, including U.S. citizens.
John K. Hurley, Under Secretary of Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, stated: "Today we're exposing the network of associates and enablers behind Ryan Wedding—one of the most notorious criminals and narcotraffickers still evading justice."
The charges represent a significant international effort to dismantle what authorities characterize as one of North America's most dangerous criminal networks with deep Canadian connections.
