Former Olympian Turned Alleged Drug Kingpin Sought in International Murder-for-Hire Plot
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The U.S. department of Justice is offering a $15 million reward for the arrest of ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympian now described by authorities as a “modern-day Pablo Escobar.” The escalating manhunt follows the meticulously planned murder of Jonathan Acebedo-Garcia, a former associate who authorities say was poised to testify against Wedding and his sprawling criminal network.
The case,revealed in indictments unsealed Wednesday,details a conspiracy stretching from Mexico to Montreal,Mecca,and culminating in a brazen assassination in MedellÃn,Colombia. According to court documents, the plot was hatched to silence Acebedo-Garcia after he began collaborating with U.S.federal police, representing a key witness for the FBI in upcoming extradition proceedings.
“Victim A”: The Target and His Past
Court documents refer to Acebedo-Garcia as “Victim A,” but the details surrounding his murder paint a clear picture. Acebedo-Garcia, a trafficker from the greater Montreal area, had reportedly been involved with Wedding’s organization for several years, perhaps meeting while both were incarcerated in the United States between 2009 and 2011. While the extent of his role remains partially unclear, documents indicate he served as an intermediary in a 300-kilogram cocaine transaction in August 2024, transporting the drugs from Colombia to Mexico.
Acebedo-Garcia’s decision to cooperate with the FBI proved fatal. He possessed intimate knowledge of the organization’s operations and was expected to testify in extradition proceedings against Wedding and his associates in California. As one official stated, his testimony would have been “devastating” to the prosecution’s case.
The “cocaine Lawyer” and the $5 million Bounty
The order to eliminate Acebedo-Garcia allegedly originated with Ontario lawyer Deepak Paradkar, dubbed the “Cocaine Lawyer” in court filings. according to police, Paradkar advised Wedding on October 17, 2024, to eliminate his former collaborator. That same day, Wedding reportedly offered $5 million for Acebedo-Garcia’s head.
Paradkar’s involvement extended beyond simply advising on the hit. The FBI alleges he actively spied on legal proceedings.
The Orchestration of Murder
Onha secured Acebedo-Garcia’s phone number and email address by bribing Edwin Basora-hernandez, a reggaeton singer connected to the criminal organization, for between CA$500 and CA$1000. This details was then relayed to Carmen Yelinet Valoyes Florez in Colombia, who ran a vast prostitution network and was responsible for physically locating the target.Onha initially demanded CA$300,000 for his services, ultimately receiving half that amount, along with 30 kilograms of cocaine and a jeweled necklace.
medellÃn: The Execution and Its Aftermath
Acebedo-Garcia was eventually located in MedellÃn, Colombia. Wedding purchased a digital interception tool from a former partner to track his movements. On January 31, 2025, around 2:30 p.m., Acebedo-Garcia was shot five times in the head while seated with two other individuals in a restaurant at a shopping center, according to Colombian media reports.
The murder was carried out by a team of five individuals – a scout, two drivers, a shooter, and a photographer – all currently unknown to the FBI. The photographer’s role was particularly chilling: to document the scene and photograph the corpse, sending the images as a warning to potential future collaborators. These photos circulated online, appearing on “The Dirty News” Instagram page with the caption: “BOOM! Headshot.”
Deepak Paradkar, Gursewak Singh Bal, Atna Onha, Edwin Basora-Hernandez, Carmen Yelinet Valoyes Florez, and five others have been arrested for their roles in Acebedo-Garcia’s death. Ryan Wedding, however, remains at large, and the U.S. Department of Justice is urging anyone with information to come forward, offering a ample $15 million reward for his capture.
