A reward of up to $15 million is being offered for information that leads to the capture and prosecution of Ryan James Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder.
WASHINGTON — Federal authorities have apprehended ten individuals linked to an alleged drug operation spearheaded by former Olympic snowboarder Ryan James Wedding. This crackdown, dubbed “Operation Giant Slalom,” took place across three countries.
The arrests, which span Canada, Colombia, and the United States, are a result of an investigation triggered by Wedding’s participation in the 2002 Winter Olympics.
Among those detained were seven Canadians, two Colombians, and a Colombian national residing legally in Florida.
- Deepak Balwant Paradkar, 62, of Thornhill, Ontario, Canada;
- Atna Ohna, 40, of Laval, Québec, Canada;
- Gursewak Singh Bal, 31, of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada;
- Allistair Chapman, 33, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada;
- Ahmad Nabil Zitoun, 35, of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada;
- Carmen Yelinet Valoyes Florez, 47, of Bogotá, Colombia;
- Yulieth Katherine Tejada, 36, of Orlando, Florida,
- Edwin Basora-Hernandez, 31, of Montréal;
- Wilson Riascos, 45, of Cali, Colombia; and
- Rolan Sokolovski, 37, of Toronto.
These developments coincide with a fresh indictment against Wedding and several others who remain at large, accused of involvement in this drug trafficking scheme.
Wedding, now 44, stands accused of leading the illicit enterprise. Allegations include using murder to intimidate witnesses and authorizing killings in both Canada and Colombia. The indictment charges him with murder, witness tampering, money laundering, and drug trafficking.
He represented Canada at the 2002 Winter Olympics in the men’s parallel giant slalom event, but after the Games turned to a life of crime, according to federal law enforcement officials looking to prosecute him.
The murder charge, Attorney General Pamela Bondi said at a press conference, stemmed from Wedding’s alleged involvement in the slaying of a federal witness in Colombia who was involved in the government’s case against him.
“The murder of a witness in Colombia earlier this year was a cruel, cold-blooded act that could not and did not go unanswered,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli in a statement. “This week’s arrests underscore our resolve to root out and punish the wrongdoers involved in this criminal organization and serve as a warning for drug lord Ryan Wedding: If convicted, you will never see the outside of a prison ever again.”
It’s unclear from the indictment if any of the ten people arrested Tuesday were directly involved in the murder plot.
The DOJ believes Wedding, a Canadian national, is residing in Mexico. He was placed on the FBI’s top 10 most wanted list of fugitives in March 2025, and as of Nov. 19, has a $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest and prosecution.
They are also searching for three other people named in the indictment, all of whom are believed to be hiding internationally:
Rasheed Pascua Hossain, 32, of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada;
Bianca Canastillo-Madrid, 37, of Mexico City; and
Tommy Demorizi, 35, of Montréal, who is believed to be a fugitive in the Dominican Republic.
“Whether you’re a kingpin or a dealer on the street, anyone who sells drugs to our kids will be arrested and prosecuted,” said Bondi in a statement. “Ryan Wedding controls one of the most prolific and violent drug trafficking organizations in this world and works closely with the Sinaloa Cartel. We will not rest until his name is taken off the FBI’s Top 10 Most Wanted List, and his narco-trafficking organization lies dismantled.”
U.S. officials say Wedding’s organization has trafficked cocaine from Colombia through Mexico into the U.S. and Canada. Investigators believe the group has killed four people, including two Canadians who were mistakenly identified targeted in retaliation for a stolen drug shipment.
If convicted, Wedding and his alleged co-conspirators would face up to life in federal prison.
