Industry News
In a stunning turn of events, former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan James Wedding is now a fugitive, facing serious charges related to an international drug trafficking operation and multiple murders. U.S. authorities revealed on Thursday that Wedding, 43, is accused of heading a criminal enterprise that smuggled massive quantities of cocaine from Colombia, through Mexico, and into the United States and Canada. His charges include murder, conspiracy to distribute cocaine, and running a drug trafficking organization.
The FBI has placed a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and extradition of Wedding, who is believed to be hiding in Mexico. Once celebrated for representing Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, where he finished 24th in the parallel giant slalom, Wedding has since become a major figure in the illegal drug trade, according to U.S. prosecutors. Martin Estrada, U.S. Attorney for Los Angeles, spoke bluntly about the case during a press briefing. “He chose to become a major drug trafficker, and he chose to become a killer,” Estrada said.
According to a story by the Associated Press, Wedding is one of 16 people charged in connection with the alleged drug operation, which authorities say moved up to 60 tons of cocaine annually. Using long-haul trucks, the group transported large shipments of cocaine from Colombia through Mexico, distributing them across the U.S. and Canada. Accjording to law enforcement, four members of the ring, including Wedding, remain fugitives.
The FBI’s investigation, led by Special Agent Krysti Hawkins in Los Angeles, resulted in the arrest of a dozen individuals in locations ranging from Florida and Michigan to Colombia and Mexico, AP reports. Along with the arrests, authorities seized large quantities of cocaine, weapons, ammunition, cash, and over $3 million in cryptocurrency.
Wedding’s drug trafficking enterprise has been linked to several violent incidents, including the murders of two family members in Canada, allegedly in retaliation for a stolen drug shipment. U.S. officials claim that the murders were the result of mistaken identity. At least one other individual has also been killed in connection with the organization’s operations.
This is not Wedding’s first encounter with law enforcement. He has faced drug trafficking charges in Canada since 2015, which remain unresolved, according to Chris Leather, Chief Superintendent with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Wedding was also previously convicted in the U.S. for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and was sentenced to prison in 2010. Authorities believe that after his release, Wedding returned to drug trafficking and became associated with the notorious Sinaloa cartel in Mexico, who may have provided him protection in recent years.
What began as an Olympic dream has turned into a tale of international crime for Ryan James Wedding. His involvement in a vast cocaine trafficking ring, paired with allegations of murder, has shocked both the sports world and the public. U.S. and Canadian authorities continue to search for Wedding and the remaining fugitives, hoping to bring them to justice.
