Latest news with #Uzbekistan-born
2 days ago
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. Enlarge image (new window) An estimated 201 kilograms of suspected cocaine, seized as part of the U.S. federal law enforcement operation targeting Ryan Wedding's alleged transnational criminal enterprise. Photo: U.S. District Court, Central District of California 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: Sporting a hoodie and a grey goatee in the prisoner's 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. Enlarge image (new window) Four of the 9 Canadian men charged alongside Ryan Wedding appeared by video link in Superior Court in Toronto on Oct. 23, 2024. The U.S. is seeking their extradition. Photo: Radio-Canada / Alexandra Newbould/CBC 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 (new window) . 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. The U.S. State Dept. is offering a $10-million US reward for information leading to Wedding's arrest.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
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 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." The U.S. State Dept. is offering a $10-million US reward for information leading to Wedding's arrest.
CBC
2 days ago
- CBC
Fugitive ex-Olympian's alleged cocaine courier agrees to U.S. extradition
Social Sharing 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."
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC 319's Bryan Battle: 'I'm gonna wipe the floor' with Nursulton Ruziboev
Bryan Battle is back to middleweight again, for now. Battle (12-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) popped onto the UFC's scene as a middleweight on Season 29 of "The Ultimate Fighter," and fought his first two fights on the big stage in the weight class. He won his first two fights in the UFC at 185 pounds, but then switched to welterweight, where he made his last seven appearances, putting together a 5-1 record with one no contest. Now, Battle is moving back up, and his reason is pretty straightforward. It's not a permanent move either, but he'll be ready to answer the call for welterweight or middleweight fights in the future. "It was a matter of I wanted to fight, and this was the fastest way to get a fight," Battle told MMA Junkie. "I told my agent, 170, 185 – it's all the same to me. There's little tradeoffs in each direction, but big guys, smaller guys, it doesn't matter. I'm a fighter. I train to fight people. I train to whoop everyone's ass. That's what I'm excited to do this fight. Go out there and just remind everybody who 'The Butcher' is and what he does." Battle's middleweight return takes place at UFC 319 at the United Center in Chicago, where he will face Nursulton Ruziboev. The Uzbekistan-born fighter quickly turned heads with his finishing power when he entered the UFC in 2023, but Battle isn't worried about the challenge that lies ahead. "He's a big, aggressive guy," Battle said. "A lot of people, when they fight him, I guess because he's so ugly, it's easy for him to intimidate people. You know, big, scary, ugly foreign dude. I watched his tape. He seems like a tough guy. He seems like a game challenge, but nothing I'm too concerned about. I feel really good. I feel really locked in right now. I feel like I'm gonna wipe the floor with this guy. Whether it was someone who made welterweight before or if he was just a real middleweight, it doesn't f*cking matter. He's just the next person whose ass I'm gonna whoop." Ruziboev (36-9-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) has recorded three finishes in his four UFC victories. He's a finisher, but so is Battle, with five of his seven UFC wins coming before the final horn. "The Butcher" intends to tally another on Aug. 16 to be the first to finish Ruziboev in the UFC. "I won't want to reveal too much, but I see my opportunities," Battle said. "Maybe we'll get him out of there quick, maybe we gotta go to hell. The one thing I can confidently say, it's not gonna go to the judges' scorecards."
