TRM Labs pointed out that in a dramatic turn of events, Ryan Wedding, once a celebrated Canadian snowboarder who represented his country at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, has been apprehended by the FBI in Mexico City. TRM Labs also mentioned that this latest arrest marks the culmination of an extensive international pursuit, highlighting Wedding’s alleged transformation from athletic star to the head of a ruthless cross-border criminal syndicate.
Authorities claim he orchestrated a vast operation trafficking massive quantities of cocaine from production hubs in Colombia and Mexico to markets in the United States and Canada, while also directing a series of brutal assassinations.
Wedding faces serious accusations, including overseeing large-scale drug distribution and multiple homicides.
Notably, he is implicated in the killing of a Canadian individual who had been cooperating with investigators.
His notoriety earned him a spot on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, with the US State Department offering a bounty of up to $15 million for tips leading to his capture.
The network he purportedly led extended its reach across nations like Mexico, Canada, Colombia, Italy, and the United Kingdom, relying on a web of accomplices, phony businesses, and covert operations to sustain its activities.
Among the key figures in this enterprise were individuals with diverse backgrounds who allegedly enabled its success.
Edgar Aaron Vazquez Alvarado, a onetime Mexican police official, is said to have supplied security and insider knowledge while masking operations through energy and fuel firms in Mexico.
Wedding’s spouse, Miryam Andrea Castillo Moreno, faces allegations of handling money laundering and supporting violent acts.
Other associates include Carmen Yelinet Valoyes Florez, accused of coordinating the January 2025 slaying of a federal informant in Colombia; Daniela Alejandra Acuna Macias, a Colombian collaborator who managed substantial cash flows; and Deepak Balwant Paradkar, Wedding’s lawyer from Canada, who reportedly connected him to drug sources, facilitated bribes, surveillance, and even assassination schemes, compensated via high-end items and secret fees.
The syndicate also involved Rolan Sokolovski, a Canadian jeweler who allegedly funneled millions in drug profits through digital currencies, disguising them with precious stones and luxury goods.
Gianluca Tiepolo, a veteran of Italy’s special forces, managed an array of extravagant vehicles for Wedding, including a rare Mercedes CLK-GTR worth about $13 million, using European firms to hide ownership and train enforcers in military tactics.
A pivotal element in the group’s financial machinery was cryptocurrency, integrated with conventional laundering techniques and dummy companies to obscure illegal earnings.
The operation spanned various blockchains such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, TRON, Solana, and BNB Chain, employing intricate cross-chain exchanges to muddle transaction trails.
One documented instance involved shifting around 17,300 USDT linked to a cocaine deal. U.S. officials have blacklisted 12 crypto wallets associated with Wedding and his circle on the Specially Designated Nationals list.
Blockchain forensics from TRM Labs uncovered these wallets‘ connections to numerous virtual asset providers, including risky exchanges, underscoring a sophisticated multi-network laundering setup tied to extensive narcotics trade.
This takedown resulted from collaborative efforts by agencies like the FBI, U.S. Department of Justice, Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit, among global allies.
Last year, OFAC imposed broad sanctions on Wedding and his inner circle under Executive Order 14059, aimed at curbing international drug proliferation.
These measures freeze assets and ban US dealings with the targets.
Prosecutors in California’s Central District unveiled indictments, while the State Department escalated the reward.
The strategy emphasizes disrupting entire ecosystems rather than isolated players.
According to TRM Labs, this incident reveals how advanced criminal groups blend digital finance with traditional crime, using crypto as part of a larger apparatus involving violence, narcotics, and elite assets.
It exemplifies a comprehensive governmental response to dismantle such threats on a worldwide stage, signaling that no amount of sophistication can evade accountability.