The life of Ryan Wedding took a stunning, dark turn. Once a Canadian Olympic snowboarder, he’s now accused of leading a brutal drug empire and has been apprehended in Mexico after years on the run.
For years, Wedding, 44, evaded capture, rising to notoriety as one of the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted, carrying a $15-million reward for information leading to his arrest. He wasn’t just a fugitive; authorities allege he orchestrated a massive, violent drug trafficking operation responsible for countless deaths.
Confirmation of his arrest came swiftly from U.S. Attorney General and the FBI Director, hailing it as a victory for international safety. Wedding was reportedly taken into custody Thursday night and is now being extradited to the United States to face justice.
Details emerging paint a chilling picture of Wedding’s alleged criminal enterprise. He’s accused of running a transnational organization that flooded Los Angeles with approximately 60 metric tons of cocaine annually, utilizing a network of semitrucks crossing the border from Mexico.
The FBI Director didn’t shy away from stark comparisons, placing Wedding in the same league as notorious drug lords Pablo Escobar and Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. His aliases – “Public Enemy,” “El Jefe,” and “Giant” – hint at the scale of his alleged power and influence.
The accusations extend beyond drug trafficking to a shocking act of violence. Wedding was recently indicted for allegedly ordering the murder of a witness in Colombia, a desperate attempt to thwart his extradition to the U.S.
Authorities claim Wedding and his associates used a Canadian website to publicly identify the witness, marking him for assassination. The victim was tracked to a restaurant in Medellin and executed, a chilling demonstration of the organization’s ruthlessness.
This isn’t Wedding’s first encounter with the law. He was previously convicted in the U.S. for conspiracy to distribute cocaine, serving time in prison before allegedly resuming his criminal activities upon release, this time under the protection of the Sinaloa Cartel.
Recent raids in Mexico uncovered a trove of evidence linking Wedding to illicit activities. Authorities seized dozens of high-end motorcycles, significant quantities of methamphetamine and marijuana, ammunition, and even two Olympic medals.
While the medals’ origin remains unclear, the discovery adds another layer of intrigue to the story of a former Olympian turned alleged kingpin. Wedding himself did not win an Olympic medal, finishing 24th in the giant slalom at the 2022 Games.
The investigation that led to Wedding’s capture began with a focus on a “former athlete,” ultimately uncovering properties and evidence that supported warrants for the raids. The case underscores the far-reaching consequences of criminal activity and the relentless pursuit of justice across international borders.
Beyond the drugs and violence, the case reveals a disturbing pattern of calculated brutality and a willingness to eliminate anyone perceived as a threat. The arrest of Ryan Wedding marks a significant step in dismantling a dangerous organization and bringing a long-sought fugitive to account.
