In a shocking turn of events, former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding has been arrested by the FBI for his alleged involvement in a vast drug trafficking operation and a series of murders across the globe. Wedding, who competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics, has been added to the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted list for orchestrating dozens of killings in the United States, Canada, and Latin America.
The 44-year-old is accused of running a sophisticated drug trafficking ring, using semi-trucks to move cocaine between Colombia, Mexico, Southern California, and Canada. Authorities say Wedding and his co-conspirators used various aliases, including “El Jefe,” “Public Enemy,” and “James Conrad Kin,” to conceal their criminal activities.
The arrest is expected to be announced at a news conference with FBI Director Kash Patel in California. Wedding was apprehended in Mexico, where he had been on the run from law enforcement for several years.
In addition to the drug trafficking charges, Wedding faces a new indictment unveiled by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi in November 2025. The indictment includes allegations of murder, witness tampering, intimidation, money laundering, and additional drug trafficking offenses.
Authorities allege that Wedding and his co-conspirators used a Canadian website called The Dirty News to post a photograph of a witness, who was then followed to a restaurant in Medellín, Colombia, and shot in the head.
This is not the first time Wedding has faced legal troubles. In 2010, he was convicted in the U.S. of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and was sentenced to prison. He also faces separate drug trafficking charges in Canada dating back to 2015, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
The arrest of Ryan Wedding is a significant victory for law enforcement agencies across North America, who have been pursuing the former Olympian for years. The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of drug trafficking and the lengths to which some individuals will go to protect their criminal enterprises.
