Former Olympic Snowboarder Faces Federal Court Over Major Drug Trafficking Allegations
A former Canadian Olympic snowboarder, who became one of the FBI's most wanted fugitives, is scheduled to appear in federal court facing serious charges related to an alleged billion-dollar multinational drug trafficking operation and multiple killings.
From Olympic Athlete to Top FBI Fugitive
Ryan Wedding, aged 44, surrendered himself at the United States Embassy in Mexico City last week following an extensive international manhunt. Authorities from the United States, Mexico, Canada, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic had been pursuing his arrest for over a year. He was subsequently transported to Southern California where his initial court appearance is set to take place in Santa Ana.
Wedding, who represented Canada in a single event at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, had reportedly been evading capture in Mexico for more than ten years. His status escalated significantly last March when he was added to the FBI's prestigious Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, with authorities offering a substantial $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest and conviction.
Allegations of Vast Cocaine Trafficking Network
Federal prosecutors allege that Wedding orchestrated the movement of approximately 60 tons of cocaine between Colombia, Mexico, Canada, and Southern California. Investigators believe he operated under the protection of the notorious Sinaloa Cartel, one of Mexico's most powerful and feared drug trafficking organisations.
The 2024 indictment details how Wedding allegedly managed what authorities describe as the largest supplier of cocaine to Canada, with operations valued at an estimated billion dollars. The criminal enterprise reportedly sourced cocaine from Colombia, collaborated with Mexican cartels to transport drugs via boat and aircraft to Mexico, then used semitrucks to move the illicit substances into the United States.
Southern California served as a crucial storage and distribution hub before the cocaine was allegedly dispatched to Canada and various American states, according to court documents.
Serious Charges Including Murder Conspiracies
Wedding faces multiple grave charges including:
- Running a continuing criminal enterprise
- Murder and conspiracy to commit murder
- Conspiring to distribute cocaine and other controlled substances
- Additional federal crimes related to drug trafficking
The murder charges specifically accuse Wedding of directing the 2023 killings of two members of a Canadian family in retaliation for a stolen drug shipment. He is also alleged to have ordered another killing in 2024 over an unresolved drug debt. Furthermore, last year brought additional charges of orchestrating the murder of a witness in Colombia, allegedly to prevent his extradition to the United States.
Previous Convictions and Ongoing Legal Proceedings
This is not Wedding's first encounter with the American justice system. He was previously convicted in the United States in 2010 for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and served a prison sentence. Online records indicate his release from Bureau of Prisons custody occurred in 2011.
Separately, Wedding faces drug charges in Canada dating back to 2015, adding another layer to his complex international legal situation. As of Monday morning, no attorney was listed for him on the official court docket, leaving his legal representation unclear as he prepares for these significant proceedings.
The case represents a dramatic fall from grace for an athlete who once competed on the world's biggest sporting stage, now facing allegations that paint him as a central figure in one of the hemisphere's most substantial drug trafficking operations.
