In a significant international law enforcement breakthrough, Ryan Wedding—a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder who ascended to become one of the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives—has been apprehended and now faces extensive criminal charges for masterminding a sophisticated transnational drug trafficking network. The 44-year-old’s arrest concludes an intensive multi-year manhunt across international borders.
US authorities have disclosed that Wedding allegedly operated under the protection of Mexico’s notorious Sinaloa drug cartel while evading capture. Federal officials accuse him of directing one of the most substantial cocaine distribution operations in recent history, with an estimated annual import of 60 metric tons of cocaine into Los Angeles alone.
The criminal enterprise, which spanned North America and multiple other countries, reportedly generated approximately $1 billion annually and stood as Canada’s primary cocaine supplier. Wedding now faces a comprehensive list of charges including witness tampering, intimidation, murder, money laundering, and large-scale drug trafficking.
According to court documents, Wedding’s criminal career escalated dramatically following his release from US federal prison in 2011, where he had served time for cocaine distribution. Authorities allege he ordered dozens of murders internationally, including the killing of a federal witness in his own case, which prompted the FBI to offer a $15 million reward for information leading to his capture.
Law enforcement officials have drawn comparisons between Wedding and infamous Latin American drug lords Pablo Escobar and Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán, highlighting the scale and brutality of his alleged operation. The FBI had documented multiple aliases for Wedding including ‘El Jefe,’ ‘Giant,’ and ‘Public Enemy.’
The FBI is scheduled to conduct a detailed press conference in California to provide further information regarding the international operation that finally led to Wedding’s apprehension.