{"id":301667,"date":"2025-11-19T18:36:13","date_gmt":"2025-11-19T18:36:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/301667\/"},"modified":"2025-11-19T18:36:13","modified_gmt":"2025-11-19T18:36:13","slug":"treasury-sanctions-former-canadian-olympian-and-notorious-narcotrafficker-ryan-wedding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/301667\/","title":{"rendered":"Treasury Sanctions Former Canadian Olympian and Notorious Narcotrafficker Ryan Wedding"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sanctions Are Part of a Coordinated U.S. Government Action Against Wedding<\/p>\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury\u2019s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Ryan James Wedding (Wedding), alongside nine individuals and nine entities closely associated with him.\u00a0 Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder for Team Canada, is one of the Federal Bureau of Investigation\u2019s (FBI)\u00a0Ten Most Wanted Fugitives<\/a>.\u00a0 He is an extremely violent criminal believed to be responsible for the murder of numerous people abroad, including U.S. citizens.\u00a0 Wedding remains a fugitive from justice, currently hiding in Mexico, where he continues to direct drug trafficking, murder, and other serious criminal activities.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday we\u2019re exposing the network of associates and enablers behind Ryan Wedding \u2014 one of the most notorious criminals and narcotraffickers still evading justice,\u201d said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley. \u201cTreasury is joining with the FBI and the Department of Justice to cut Wedding and his criminal partners off from the U.S. financial system and help dismantle the network they rely on. Our goal is simple: make it difficult for criminals like this to profit from poisoning our communities.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Image <\/p>\n

Ryan Wedding, former Olympian and current FBI Top Ten Most Wanted Fugitive, at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics<\/p>\n

Concurrent with Treasury\u2019s action, the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office for the Central District of California is issuing indictments against Wedding and his network.\u00a0 Additionally, Treasury coordinated its action with the Government of Mexico\u2019s financial intelligence unit, the Unidad de Inteligencia Financiera (UIF).\u00a0 The Department of State has also approved a reward offer increase for Wedding from $10 million to up to $15 million for information leading to his arrest and\/or conviction.\u00a0<\/p>\n

COCAINE TRAFFICKING AND GLOBAL MURDERS\u00a0<\/p>\n

Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder who competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics, is responsible for trafficking multi-ton quantities of cocaine through Colombia and Mexico for distribution in the United States and Canada.\u00a0His criminal organization uses cryptocurrency to move and launder the proceeds of drug trafficking, concealing vast sums of illicit wealth.\u00a0 According to the FBI, Wedding has ordered dozens of murders across the globe, including in the United States, Canada, and Latin America.\u00a0 He employs highly sophisticated methods in both the planning and execution of these killings, demonstrating a level of coordination and ruthlessness that has made him one of the world\u2019s most dangerous fugitives.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Several key associates have enabled Wedding\u2019s criminal enterprise.\u00a0 Edgar Aaron Vazquez Alvarado\u00a0(Vazquez), also known as \u201cthe General,\u201d provides protection for Wedding within Mexico and uses law enforcement sources to locate targets for Wedding.\u00a0 Vazquez is believed to be a former Mexican law enforcement officer with ties to senior Mexican law enforcement officials.\u00a0 Vazquez owns the Mexico-based companies VRG Energeticos S.A. de C.V., Grupo RVG Combustibles S.A. de C.V., and\u00a0Grupo Ares Imperial S. de R.L. de C.V.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Edgar Aaron Vazquez Alvarado, a.k.a. \u201cthe General\u201d<\/p>\n

Miryam Andrea Castillo Moreno (Castillo) is Wedding\u2019s wife.\u00a0Castillo launders drug proceeds for Wedding and has helped him conduct acts of violence.<\/p>\n

\"Image\"Image<\/p>\n

From left to right, Daniela Alejandra Acuna Macias and Miryam Andrea Castillo Moreno<\/p>\n

Carmen Yelinet Valoyes Florez (Valoyes) is a Colombian national who runs a high-end prostitution ring in Mexico.\u00a0 Valoyes assisted Wedding with the murder of a federal witness in January 2025.\u00a0 Valoyes introduced Wedding to his Colombian girlfriend, Daniela Alejandra Acuna Macias\u00a0(Acuna).\u00a0 Acuna has collected hundreds of thousands of dollars from Wedding, whom she knew from the beginning of their relationship to live a lifestyle funded by violent narcotics trafficking. \u00a0She has assisted Wedding in obtaining information on his rivals. \u00a0<\/p>\n

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Carmen Yelinet Valoyes Florez<\/p>\n

Deepak Balwant Paradkar (Paradkar) is a Canadian attorney who has provided a range of illegal services to Wedding and his drug trafficking organization beyond the scope of a normal attorney-client relationship.\u00a0Paradkar introduced Wedding to the drug traffickers that have been moving Wedding\u2019s cocaine and has also helped Wedding with bribery and murder.\u00a0 Paradkar violated the trust of his clients and the ethics of his profession by allowing Wedding and his associates to eavesdrop on privileged communications between Paradkar and his other clients, several of whom Wedding wished to murder.\u00a0 Wedding paid Paradkar with luxury watches and additional fees for these illegal services.<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

Deepak Balwant Paradkar<\/p>\n

Today, Ryan James Wedding was designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14059 for having engaged in, or attempted to engage in, activities or transactions that have materially contributed to, or pose a significant risk of materially contributing to, the international proliferation of illicit drugs or their means of production.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Edgar Aaron Vazquez Alvarado, Miryam Andrea Castillo Moreno, Carmen Yelinet Valoyes Florez, and Deepak Balwant Paradkar were designated pursuant to E.O. 14059 for having provided, or attempted to provide, financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services in support of Ryan James Wedding.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Daniela Alejandra Acuna Macias was designated pursuant to E.O. 14059 for having knowingly received property or interest in property that she knows constitutes or is derived from proceeds of activities or transactions that have materially contributed to, or pose a significant risk of materially contributing to, the international proliferation of illicit drugs or their means of production.<\/p>\n

VRG Energeticos S.A. de C.V., Grupo RVG Combustibles S.A. de C.V., and Grupo Ares Imperial, S. de R.L. de C.V. were designated pursuant to E.O.\u00a014059 for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly,\u00a0Edgar Aaron Vazquez Alvarado.<\/p>\n

MONEY LAUNDERING THROUGH A TRANSATLANTIC ASSET management NETWORK<\/p>\n

Wedding has laundered his illicit profits through an extensive transatlantic network of businesses and associates, channeling drug proceeds into luxury assets such as cars and motorcycles that are concealed around the world.\u00a0 Wedding relies on two chief money launderers to manage his complex financial operations:\u00a0Canadian jeweler Rolan Sokolovski (Sokolovski) and former Italian special forces member Gianluca Tiepolo\u00a0(Tiepolo).\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Image\"Image<\/p>\n

Rolan Sokolovski and Gianluca Tiepolo<\/p>\n

Sokolovski has overseen bookkeeping for Wedding\u2019s organization and laundered its funds through his jewelry business, 2351885 Ontario Inc, which operates under the trade name \u201cDiamond Tsar\u201d and maintains a storefront in Toronto, Ontario. \u00a0In addition to using his business as a front for laundering, Sokolovski has transferred millions of dollars in drug proceeds using cryptocurrency, concealing the origins of Wedding\u2019s profits.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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A 2002 Mercedes CLK-GTR valued at $13 million that the FBI seized from the Wedding organization<\/p>\n

Tiepolo has worked closely with Sokolovski to procure and manage Wedding\u2019s physical assets, including high-end vehicles, and has held millions of dollars in Wedding\u2019s property under his own name to conceal these assets from authorities.\u00a0 Tiepolo owns two businesses that trade in luxury motorcycles and automobiles:\u00a0Italy-based Stile Italiano S.R.L.\u00a0(Stile Italiano) and United Kingdom-based TMR Ltd.\u00a0 He also founded Windrose Tactical Solutions S.R.L.S.\u00a0(Windrose Tactical), which has operated military-style tactical training camps that have trained many of Wedding\u2019s hitmen.<\/p>\n

Italian citizen Cristian Diana\u00a0(Diana) and United Kingdom (UK) citizen John Anthony Fallon (Fallon) are business associates of Tiepolo.\u00a0 Diana serves as president of the board of directors of both Stile Italiano and Windrose Tactical.\u00a0 Fallon is a director of TMR Ltd. alongside Tiepolo and is also the 50 percent owner and sole director of two UK companies, LMJ Trading Ltd\u00a0and Made In Italy Motorcycles Limited.
\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Image \"Image<\/p>\n

Cristian Diana and John Anthony Fallon<\/p>\n

Today, Rolan Sokolovski and Gianluca Tiepolo were designated pursuant to E.O. 14059 for having provided, or attempted to provide, financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services in support of Ryan James Wedding.<\/p>\n

2351885 Ontario Inc was designated pursuant to E.O. 14059 for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Rolan Sokolovski.<\/p>\n

Stile Italiano S.R.L., TMR Ltd, and Windrose Tactical S.R.L.S. were designated pursuant to E.O.\u00a014059 for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Gianluca Tiepolo.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Cristian Diana was designated\u00a0pursuant to E.O. 14059 for being or having been a leader or official of Stile Italiano and for being or having been a leader or official of Stile Italiano S.R.L. and Windrose Tactical S.R.L.S.<\/p>\n

John Anthony Fallon was designated pursuant to E.O. 14059 for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly,\u00a0TMR Ltd.<\/p>\n

LMJ Trading Ltd and\u00a0Made In Italy Motorcycles Limited were designated pursuant to E.O.\u00a014059 for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or has acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, John Anthony Fallon.\u00a0<\/p>\n

SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS<\/p>\n

As a result of today\u2019s action, all property and interests in property of the blocked persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC.\u00a0 In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.\u00a0 Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC\u2019s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons.<\/p>\n

Violations of U.S. sanctions may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties on U.S. and foreign persons.\u00a0 OFAC may impose civil penalties for sanctions violations on a strict liability basis. OFAC\u2019s Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines provide more information regarding OFAC\u2019s enforcement of U.S. economic sanctions.\u00a0 In addition, financial institutions and other persons may risk exposure to sanctions for engaging in certain transactions or activities involving designated or otherwise blocked persons.\u00a0 The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated or blocked person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.<\/p>\n

The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC\u2019s ability to designate and add persons to the SDN List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. \u00a0The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. \u00a0For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, please refer to\u00a0OFAC\u2019s Frequently Asked Question # 897 here<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0to submit a request for removal, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For more information on the persons designated today, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

View the chart\u00a0on the individuals and entities designated today<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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