Sanctions Are Part of a Coordinated U.S. Government Action Against Wedding
WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Ryan James Wedding (Wedding), alongside nine individuals and nine entities closely associated with him. Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder for Team Canada, is one of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. He is an extremely violent criminal believed to be responsible for the murder of numerous people abroad, including U.S. citizens. Wedding remains a fugitive from justice, currently hiding in Mexico, where he continues to direct drug trafficking, murder, and other serious criminal activities.
“Today we’re exposing the network of associates and enablers behind Ryan Wedding — one of the most notorious criminals and narcotraffickers still evading justice,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley. “Treasury 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.”
Ryan Wedding, former Olympian and current FBI Top Ten Most Wanted Fugitive, at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics
Concurrent with Treasury’s action, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California is issuing indictments against Wedding and his network. Additionally, Treasury coordinated its action with the Government of Mexico’s financial intelligence unit, the Unidad de Inteligencia Financiera (UIF). 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.
COCAINE TRAFFICKING AND GLOBAL MURDERS
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. His criminal organization uses cryptocurrency to move and launder the proceeds of drug trafficking, concealing vast sums of illicit wealth. According to the FBI, Wedding has ordered dozens of murders across the globe, including in the United States, Canada, and Latin America. 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’s most dangerous fugitives.
Several key associates have enabled Wedding’s criminal enterprise. Edgar Aaron Vazquez Alvarado (Vazquez), also known as “the General,” provides protection for Wedding within Mexico and uses law enforcement sources to locate targets for Wedding. Vazquez is believed to be a former Mexican law enforcement officer with ties to senior Mexican law enforcement officials. Vazquez owns the Mexico-based companies 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.
Edgar Aaron Vazquez Alvarado, a.k.a. “the General”
Miryam Andrea Castillo Moreno (Castillo) is Wedding’s wife. Castillo launders drug proceeds for Wedding and has helped him conduct acts of violence.
From left to right, Daniela Alejandra Acuna Macias and Miryam Andrea Castillo Moreno
Carmen Yelinet Valoyes Florez (Valoyes) is a Colombian national who runs a high-end prostitution ring in Mexico. Valoyes assisted Wedding with the murder of a federal witness in January 2025. Valoyes introduced Wedding to his Colombian girlfriend, Daniela Alejandra Acuna Macias (Acuna). 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. She has assisted Wedding in obtaining information on his rivals.
Carmen Yelinet Valoyes Florez
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. Paradkar introduced Wedding to the drug traffickers that have been moving Wedding’s cocaine and has also helped Wedding with bribery and murder. 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. Wedding paid Paradkar with luxury watches and additional fees for these illegal services.
Deepak Balwant Paradkar
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.
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.
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.
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. 14059 for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Edgar Aaron Vazquez Alvarado.
MONEY LAUNDERING THROUGH A TRANSATLANTIC ASSET management NETWORK
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. Wedding relies on two chief money launderers to manage his complex financial operations: Canadian jeweler Rolan Sokolovski (Sokolovski) and former Italian special forces member Gianluca Tiepolo (Tiepolo).
Rolan Sokolovski and Gianluca Tiepolo
Sokolovski has overseen bookkeeping for Wedding’s organization and laundered its funds through his jewelry business, 2351885 Ontario Inc, which operates under the trade name “Diamond Tsar” and maintains a storefront in Toronto, Ontario. In 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’s profits.
A 2002 Mercedes CLK-GTR valued at $13 million that the FBI seized from the Wedding organization
Tiepolo has worked closely with Sokolovski to procure and manage Wedding’s physical assets, including high-end vehicles, and has held millions of dollars in Wedding’s property under his own name to conceal these assets from authorities. Tiepolo owns two businesses that trade in luxury motorcycles and automobiles: Italy-based Stile Italiano S.R.L. (Stile Italiano) and United Kingdom-based TMR Ltd. He also founded Windrose Tactical Solutions S.R.L.S. (Windrose Tactical), which has operated military-style tactical training camps that have trained many of Wedding’s hitmen.
Italian citizen Cristian Diana (Diana) and United Kingdom (UK) citizen John Anthony Fallon (Fallon) are business associates of Tiepolo. Diana serves as president of the board of directors of both Stile Italiano and Windrose Tactical. 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 and Made In Italy Motorcycles Limited.
Cristian Diana and John Anthony Fallon
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.
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.
Stile Italiano S.R.L., TMR Ltd, and Windrose Tactical S.R.L.S. were 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, Gianluca Tiepolo.
Cristian Diana was designated pursuant 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.
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, TMR Ltd.
LMJ Trading Ltd and Made In Italy Motorcycles Limited were designated pursuant to E.O. 14059 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.
SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS
As a result of today’s 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. 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. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC’s 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.
Violations of U.S. sanctions may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties on U.S. and foreign persons. OFAC may impose civil penalties for sanctions violations on a strict liability basis. OFAC’s Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines provide more information regarding OFAC’s enforcement of U.S. economic sanctions. 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. 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.
The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC’s 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. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, please refer to OFAC’s Frequently Asked Question # 897 here and to submit a request for removal, click here.
For more information on the persons designated today, click here.
View the chart on the individuals and entities designated today.
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