US targets Ryan Wedding network over cocaine trafficking and crypto money laundering

WASHINGTON, March 4, 2026 — The U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Ryan James Wedding, a fugitive Canadian national, along with nine individuals and nine entities tied to him under Executive Order 14059. The action took effect Nov. 19 and targets what Treasury described as a network involved in cocaine trafficking, violence and money laundering.

Treasury said Wedding trafficked multi-ton quantities of cocaine through Colombia and Mexico for distribution in the United States and Canada, and used cryptocurrency to move and launder proceeds. The department also said the action was part of a coordinated U.S. government effort, with concurrent indictments issued by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California.

Those designated include Edgar Aaron Vazquez Alvarado, Miryam Andrea Castillo Moreno, Carmen Yelinet Valoyes Florez and Deepak Balwant Paradkar for providing support to Wedding. Daniela Alejandra Acuna Macias was designated for knowingly receiving property or interests in property derived from drug trafficking proceeds, according to Treasury.

Treasury also designated three 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. — for being owned, controlled or directed by, or acting for or on behalf of, Vazquez.

The sanctions action also targeted an alleged money laundering network tied to Wedding. Treasury identified Canadian jeweler Rolan Sokolovski and former Italian special forces member Gianluca Tiepolo as key money launderers, and designated 2351885 Ontario Inc., which operates as Diamond Tsar, Stile Italiano S.R.L., TMR Ltd. and Windrose Tactical Solutions S.R.L.S.

Treasury said it coordinated the action with Mexico's financial intelligence unit, known as the Unidad de Inteligencia Financiera. Separately, the State Department approved an increase in the reward offer for information leading to Wedding's arrest or conviction, from $10 million to up to $15 million.