Former Canadian Olympic snowboarder and alleged drug lord Ryan Wedding taken into custody by FBI

Arrest of Former Olympian Linked to Drug Trafficking

Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder, has been apprehended by the FBI, who have labeled him a “modern-day Pablo Escobar.” Wedding competed in the men’s halfpipe event at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, where he finished in 24th place.

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced his arrest, which took place on Thursday night. Wedding was put on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list back on March 6, 2025, and the reward for tips leading to his capture was raised to $15 million in November of the same year.

He faces serious allegations including aiding multiple murders, among them the killing of two family members in Ontario in November 2023, and another murder in May 2024 related to a drug debt. Authorities believe that the 44-year-old has been hiding out in Mexico for the past decade as a member of the Sinaloa cartel, allegedly overseeing a drug operation that smuggles about 60 tons of cocaine annually into Los Angeles via semi-trucks.

FBI Director Kash Patel compared Wedding to notorious drug lords such as Pablo Escobar and Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. Following his arrest in Mexico City, Wedding was transported back to the United States where Bondi asserted that he “will face justice.”

In a statement, Bondi expressed gratitude towards Mexican and Canadian authorities for their collaboration in this case, emphasizing the necessity of a united effort to confront such criminals. A grand jury indictment from November charges Wedding with orchestrating a criminal enterprise, attempted murder, and profiting from laundered drug funds.

Wedding’s connection to a federal witness’s murder is particularly alarming; he allegedly put a “bounty” on this witness, resulting in the death of the witness’s wife shortly after they were located.

Patel highlighted the significance of this capture, indicating that it aligns with historic achievements in apprehending individuals from the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list.