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U.S. Unseals Murder and Trafficking Charges Against Fugitive Ex-Olympian Ryan Wedding as Reward Climbs to $15 Million

Prosecutors say a Sinaloa‑linked network moves roughly 60 metric tons of cocaine each year, with a key witness in the case slain in Medellín.

Overview

  • An expanded federal indictment charges Ryan James Wedding with murder in connection with a continuing criminal enterprise, witness tampering and intimidation, money laundering, and large‑scale cocaine trafficking.
  • Authorities allege Wedding ordered the January killing of cooperating witness Jonathan Acebedo‑Garcia in a Medellín restaurant after images were posted online to help locate him.
  • The FBI increased its reward to $15 million for Wedding’s capture, and the U.S. is offering up to $2 million for information on those responsible for the witness’s murder.
  • Officials announced coordinated arrests in Canada, including lawyer Deepak Paradkar, as part of Operation Giant Slalom, with extradition sought for multiple defendants.
  • Treasury imposed sanctions tied to Wedding’s network as investigators reported seizing about $3.2 million in cryptocurrency and over $13 million in other assets, with more than 35 people indicted overall.