Ryan Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder for Canada who featured prominently on the FBI's '10 Most Wanted' fugitives list, has been apprehended by authorities following an extensive international manhunt. The arrest marks a significant breakthrough in a complex case involving allegations of multi-national drug trafficking and the orchestrated killing of a federal witness.
From Olympic Athlete to International Fugitive
Wedding, aged 44, represented Canada at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City as a competitive snowboarder before allegedly turning to criminal enterprise. Authorities confirm he was arrested on Friday in Mexico, with the operation culminating in his detention after months of investigative work across international borders.
Serious Criminal Allegations and Charges
The former athlete faces grave accusations of running a sophisticated drug trafficking operation that utilised semitrucks to transport cocaine between Colombia, Mexico, Southern California and Canada. According to official charges filed in 2024, Wedding allegedly operated under multiple aliases including "El Jefe," "Public Enemy" and "James Conrad Kin" while coordinating this transnational criminal network.
More disturbingly, US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced in November that Wedding had been indicted for orchestrating the killing of a witness in Colombia to prevent his extradition to the United States. Authorities detail how Wedding and co-conspirators allegedly used a Canadian website called "The Dirty News" to publish a photograph of the witness, enabling his identification before he was followed to a Medellín restaurant in January and shot in the head.
FBI Investigation and Substantial Reward
The FBI had elevated Wedding to their prestigious '10 Most Wanted' list, offering a substantial $15 million reward for information leading directly to his arrest and conviction. Last month, the bureau released a new photograph believed to have been taken during the summer in Mexico as part of their intensified public appeal for assistance in locating the fugitive.
Two individuals familiar with the investigation, speaking anonymously as they lacked authorisation to discuss operational details, confirmed Wedding's arrest to The Associated Press. The FBI is scheduled to hold a formal news conference later on Friday morning in California with Director Kash Patel expected to provide comprehensive details about the operation.
Previous Convictions and International Legal Complications
Federal records reveal Wedding was previously convicted in the United States for conspiracy to distribute cocaine, receiving a prison sentence in 2010. Additionally, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirm he faces separate drug trafficking charges in Canada dating back to 2015, indicating a lengthy history of alleged criminal activity spanning multiple jurisdictions.
This arrest concludes a dramatic fall from grace for an athlete who once represented his nation on the world's premier sporting stage, now facing the prospect of multiple serious criminal proceedings across international borders for offences carrying severe potential penalties.
