Dramatic new footage has surfaced showing the moment former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding arrived in the United States in handcuffs, following his dramatic surrender to authorities after more than a decade as a fugitive.
From Olympic Glory to Alleged Crime Lord
Ryan Wedding, a 44-year-old who once represented Canada at the 2002 Winter Olympics in snowboarding, now stands accused of leading a sophisticated international drug-smuggling operation valued in the billions of dollars. Prosecutors allege his criminal enterprise also orchestrated multiple murders, leading some law enforcement officials to label him a 'modern-day iteration of Pablo Escobar'.
A Decade on the FBI's Most Wanted List
Wedding had been a prominent figure on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, with a staggering $15 million reward offered for information leading to his capture. Authorities across the United States, Canada, and Mexico had conducted an extensive international manhunt. It is believed he spent years evading capture while allegedly living in Mexico under the protection of the notorious Sinaloa Cartel.
The Surrender and Arrival
In a surprising turn of events, Wedding is reported to have voluntarily turned himself in to officials at the US Embassy in Mexico City on Thursday. By Friday, a plane transporting the former athlete touched down at Ontario International Airport in California.
The newly released video shows Wedding, dressed in jeans and a black cap, being escorted from the aircraft onto the runway while restrained in handcuffs. His first court appearance is anticipated for Monday, where he will face a series of serious charges related to drug trafficking and murder.
This case marks a significant development in a long-running international investigation, blending the worlds of elite sport and high-stakes organised crime in a startling narrative.
