Fugitive ex-Olympian's alleged cocaine courier agrees to U.S. extradition
A Toronto-area man known to associates as the "Russian" – accused of conspiring to smuggle cocaine on behalf of a former Olympic snowboarder – has agreed to be extradited to the U.S.
Rakhim Ibragimov appeared in a downtown Toronto court Tuesday morning, for what was scheduled to be an hours-long extradition hearing.
Instead, Ibragimov's lawyer Harval Bassi told the judge his client was consenting to his surrender to the U.S.
"That is correct," Ibragimov told Ontario Superior Court Justice Peter Bawden.
The Uzbekistan-born Ibragimov, 48, faces conspiracy charges in Los Angeles, where he's expected to stand trial early next year alongside several other associates of Ryan Wedding.
Wedding, who competed for Canada as a snowboarder at the 2002 Olympic Games in Utah, is listed as one of the FBI's 10 most-wanted fugitives. Born in Thunder Bay, Ont., he's suspected of living in Mexico, while leading a cartel-linked drug-trafficking organization tied to multiple murders.
Kiran Gill, a lawyer representing the Attorney General of Canada told court Ibragimov had been identified as a "courier" for Wedding's network.
According to U.S. investigators, Ibragimov was caught near L.A. in April 2024 as he loaded boxes filled with 375 kilograms of cocaine – apparently destined for Canada – into his rental car. Wedding's network is accused of using the area as a logistics hub for its $1-billion US cocaine and fentanyl smuggling operation.
At the time, Ibragimov was detained and then allowed to return to Ontario. He was again arrested last fall, this time by Toronto police, as U.S. authorities moved in on more than a dozen of Wedding's alleged co-conspirators in Canada, the U.S, Mexico and Colombia.
WATCH | From Olympian to fugitive:
Ryan Wedding's path from Olympian to most-wanted fugitive
5 months ago
Ryan Wedding once represented Canada as an Olympic snowboarder; now he's accused of being a drug kingpin and is on the FBI's most wanted list — with a $10 million US reward being offered for information leading to his arrest. CBC's Thomas Daigle traces his shocking path from the top of the slopes to the underworld.
Sporting a hoodie and a grey goatee in the prisoner box on Tuesday, Ibragimov smiled and waved at a woman in the public gallery. According to the U.S. indictment, his co-defendants referred to Ibragimov as the "Russian" in encrypted messages later intercepted by investigators.
He acknowledged to the judge that by consenting to his surrender, he's waiving his right to a 30-day delay before extradition.
"You're ready to go any time, correct, sir?" Bawden asked.
"Yes," Ibragimov said.
Ibragimov and several co-defendants are scheduled to stand trial next February in federal court in L.A.
Ten Canadians are among those indicted, including an uncle and his nephew accused of co-ordinating drug shipments, a Toronto-based alleged hitman known as "Mr. Perfect," and Wedding's top lieutenant, Andrew Clark.
Between them, Wedding and Clark are charged with orchestrating four murders in Ontario.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office told CBC News next year's trial is set to proceed even if Wedding – the lead defendant – is not captured by then.
The RCMP has said the 43-year-old poses "one of the largest organized crime threats to Canada, even as a fugitive."
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