The Ontario lawyer accused of being involved in a violent transnational drug ring headed by Canadian Olympian Ryan Wedding has been granted bail.
Superior Court Justice Peter Bawden announced his decision on Tuesday as Deepak Paradkar — the so-called “cocaine lawyer” — awaits his extradition hearing.
Paradkar was arrested in Canada under the Extradition Act and was charged by American authorities last month for his reported involvement with Wedding.
Wedding, 44, is facing several murder and drug charges stemming from his alleged drug empire that stretches across the Americas. FBI Director Kash Patel has described Wedding as a “modern-day iteration of Pablo Escobar.”
Earlier this month at a bail hearing, the Crown requested Paradkar be denied bail, arguing he was a flight risk and that there was a need to protect the public and maintain confidence in the justice system.
Defence lawyer Ravin Pillay argued the Crown’s suggestion that Paradkar is a flight risk was based on speculation, and that Paradkar — who has no criminal record — has a plan that is as “secure as one could get.”
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Paradkar testified during his bail hearing that if released on bail, he would follow what he called the “most stringent” release plan he’s ever proposed in his own career.
That plan would include 24-7 house arrest with no access to electronic devices except for his wife’s cellphone, which would only be used in her presence for communication with his lawyers and sureties. His wife, Mandy Paradkar, and her cousin, Mark Gallagher, would be his sureties.
A $5-million pledge between Paradkar and his wife, a $250,000 pledge from her cousin, GPS monitoring and the surrendering of his passport to police would also be included in the plan.
U.S. authorities have accused Paradkar of advising Wedding to murder a key witness so that the former Olympian and Andrew Clark, Wedding’s reported second-in-command, would avoid extradition from Mexico on 2024 criminal charges against them.
That witness was eventually shot dead at a Medellín, Colombia, restaurant on Jan. 31.
Paradkar, who American authorities say has several aliases, including “cocaine lawyer,” allegedly provided Wedding with court documents and evidence from the 2024 criminal case he would not otherwise have had access to.
He’s also accused of introducing Wedding to trusted drug transport networks and overseeing information gathering after drug shipments were seized by law enforcement. Authorities allege Paradkar was paid with bulk cash drops and luxury items such as watches.
The allegations against Paradkar have not been tested in court. Paradkar, whose licence to practise law in Ontario was suspended early this month, has denied the allegations against him and maintains his innocence.
— with files from Global News’ Aaron D’Andrea and Catherine McDonald
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